CIHM 
Microfiche 


(Monographs) 


ICIMH 

Collection  de 
microfiches 
(monographies) 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microroproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  da  microraproductions  historiquas 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes  /  Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best  original 
copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this  copy  which 
may  be  bibliographically  unique,  which  may  alter  any  of 
the  images  in  the  reproduction,  or  which  may 
significantly  change  the  usual  method  of  filming  are 
checked  below. 


r7l   Coloured  covers  / 


D 
D 


□ 


D 


D 


Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged  / 
Couverture  endommag^e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated  / 
Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  pellicul^e 

Cover  title  missing  /  Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps  /  Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)  / 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations  / 
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interior  margin  /  La  reliure  serr^e  peut  causer  de 
I'ombre  ou  de  la  distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge 
int^rieure. 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restorations  may  appear 
within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these  have  been 
omitted  from  filming  /  II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages 
blanches  ajout^es  lors  d'une  restauration 
apparaissent  dans  le  texte,  mais,  lorsque  cela  §tait 
possible,  ces  pages  n'ont  pas  ^{6  film^es. 

Additional  comments  / 
Commentaires  suppl^mentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire  qu'il  lui  a 
6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details  de  cet  exem- 
plaire qui  sont  peut-Stre  uniques  du  point  de  vue  bibli- 
ographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier  une  image  reproduite, 
ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une  modification  dans  la  mdtho- 
de  nonnale  de  filmage  sont  indiqu^s  ci-dessous. 

I     I  Coloured  pages  /  Pages  de  couleur 

I I   Pages  damaged  /  Pages  endommag6es 


D 


Pages  restored  and/or  laminated  / 
Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pellicul^es 


r~y  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed  / 
I      I   Pages  d^color^es,  tachet^es  ou  piqu^es 

I      I   Pages  detached  /  Pages  d6tach6es 

\v\   Showthrough / Transparence 

I      I  Quality  of  print  varies  / 


D 
D 


D 


Quality  in^gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  matv'  : 
Comprend  du  materiel  supp;< ' 


lie  e 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obs';i'  °';  by  errata  slips, 
tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmeo  to  ensure  the  best 
possible  image  /  Les  pages  totalement  ou 
partiellement  obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une 
pelure,  etc.,  ont  6X6  film^es  k  nouveau  de  fagon  k 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 

Opposing  pages  with  varying  colouration  or 
discolourations  are  filmed  twice  to  ensure  the  best 
possible  image  /  Les  pages  s'opposant  ayant  des 
colorations  variables  ou  des  decolorations  sont 
film^es  deux  fois  afin  d'obtenir  la  meilleure  image 
possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checlced  below  / 

Ce  document  est  fitmi  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 


lOx 

14x 

18x 

^ 

22x 

26x 

30x 

v' 

12x 


16x 


20x 


24x 


28x 


32x 


Ths  copy  filmed  h«r«  has  b««n  reproduced  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 


Stauffer  Library 
Queen's  Unfverslty 


Tha  imagas  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  end  legibility 
of  the  originel  copy  end  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specificationa. 


Original  copies  in  printed  peper  cover*  ere  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  end  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illuatrated  impree- 
sion.  or  the  beck  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  originel  copiee  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impree- 
sion,  and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illuetreted  impreesion. 


The  last  recorded  frome  on  eech  microfiche 
shell  contain  the  symbol  «^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  y  (meening  "END"), 
whichever  epplies. 

Mapa.  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  ere  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hend  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


1  2  3 


1 

2i 

4 

5j 

L'tx«mplair«  film*  fut  rtproduit  gric*  A  la 
g*n4ro8iti  d«: 

Stauffer  Library 
Queen's  University 

Las  imagas  suivantat  ont  M  raproduitas  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin.  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nanati  da  I'axamplaira  film*,  at  an 
eonformit*  avac  laa  eonditiona  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 

Laa  axamplairaa  originaux  dont  la  covtvartura  an 
papiar  aat  imprimia  sent  filmas  an  commandant 
par  la  pramiar  plat  at  an  tarminant  soit  par  la 
darni^ra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  sacond 
plat,  salon  la  eas.  Toua  las  autras  axamplairas 
originaux  sont  filmis  an  commandant  par  la 
pramiira  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'impraaaion  ou  d'illuatration  at  an  tarminant  par 
la  darniAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  talia 
amprainta. 

Un  doa  aymboloa  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
darniira  imaga  da  chaqua  microficha.  salon  la 
caa:  la  symbola  — »  signifia  "A  SUIVRE".  la 
aymbola  ▼  aignifia  "FIN". 

Laa  cartaa,  pianchaa.  tablaaux,  ate.  pauvant  itra 
filmis  A  das  taux  da  reduction  diffirants. 
Lorsqua  la  documant  ast  trop  grand  pour  Atra 
raproduit  an  un  saul  clicha,  il  ast  filma  A  partir 
da  I'angla  supAriaur  gaucha,  da  gaucha  A  droita. 
at  da  haut  ^n  bas.  an  pranant  la  nombra 
d'imagaa  n^cassaira.  Las  diagrammas  suivants 
illustrant  la  mathoda. 


2 

3 

5 

6 

MICROCOPY   RESOLUTION   TEST  CHART 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


1.0 

1^1 2.8          2.5 

1   «*    III  ^•° 

I.I 

1 

1.8 

1.25 


^  APPLIED  IIVMGE     Ir 

^^  1 65 J   tost  Mam   Street 

r.a  Roctiester,    New    York         14609       USA 

^=  (716)   482  -  0300  -  Phone 

^S  (716)   288  -  5989  -  Fa» 


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'~.ffi~  ■  iii 


.■«i||mi«!8«ju(Hf;K«R!ft.^,«;.^^ 


The  MARCH  of  the 
WHITE  GUARD 


By     GILBERT    PARKER 


R.  F.  FENNO   &    COMPANY 

9   AND    II    East    i6th   Street,    New  York 
I  9  o  I 


L  ^ 


Ps<^vs/./-'s/^^ 


The  Makch  of  the  White  Guahu 


^cX-7,  J 


THE 

March  of  the  White  Guard 


"  Ask  Mr.  Hume  to  come  here  for 
a  moment,  Gosse,"  said  Field,  the 
Chief  Factor,  as  he  turned  from  the 
frosty  window  of  his  office  at  Fort 
Providence,  one  of  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company's  posts.  The  servant,  or 
more  properly,  Orderly-Sergeant 
Gosse,  late  of  the  Scots  Guards,  de- 
parted on  his  errand,  glancing  curi- 
ously at  his  master's  face  as  -"t*  did 
so.  The  Chief  Factor,  as  he  turned 
round,  unclasped  his  hands  from  be- 

7 


Cbe  flSarcb  of  tbe  TBlbtte  a»»rs 

hind  him,  took  a  few  steps  forward 
then  standing  still  in  the  centre  of 
the  room,  read  carefully  through  a 
letter  which   he    had    held    in   the 
fingers  of  his  right  hand  for  the  last 
ten  minutes  as  he  scanned  the  wastes 
of  snow  that  stretched  away  beyond 
Great  Slave  Lake  to  the  Arctic  Circle 
and  the  Barren  Grounds.     He  medi- 
tated a  moment,  went  back  to  the 
wmdow,  looked  out  again,  shook  his 
head    negatively,    and   with   a  sigh 
walked  over  to  the  huge  fireplace. 
He   stood   thoughtfully  considering 

the  floor  until  the  door  opened  and 
Sub.factor  Jaspar  Hume  entered. 
The    Factor    looked    up   and    said: 

Hume,  I  ve  something  here  that's 
been  worrying  me  a  bit.     This  letter 
came    m    the    monthly    batch    this 
8 


Cbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  Mbite  Ouatb 


morning.  It  is  from  a  woman. 
The  Company  sends  another  com- 
mending the  cause  of  the  woman  and 
urging  us  to  do  all  that  is  possible  to 
meet  her  wishes.  It  seems  that  her 
husband  is  a  civil  engineer  of  con- 
siderable fame.  He  had  a  commis- 
sion to  explore  the  Copper  Mine  re- 
gion and  a  portion  of  the  Barren 
Grounds.  He  was  to  be  gone  six 
months.  He  has  been  gone  a  year. 
He  left  Fort  Good  Hope,  skirted 
Great  Bear  Lake,  and  reached  the 
Copper  Mine  River.  Then  he  sent 
back  all  of  the  Indians  who  accom- 
panied him  but  two,  they  bearing 
the  message  that  he  would  make  the 
Great  Fish  River  and  come  down  by 
Great  Slave  Lake  to  Fort  Providence. 
That  was  nine  months  ago.  He  has 
9 


not  come  here,  nor  to  any  other  of 
the  forts,  nor  has  any  word  been  re- 
ceived  from  him.     His  wife,  backed 
by  the  H.  B.  C,  urges  that  a  relief 
party  be  sent  to  look  for  him.     They 
and  she  forget  that  this  is  the  Arctic 
region,  and  that  the  task  is  a  weU 
nigh   hopeless  one.      He  ought   co 
have    been    here   six  months    ago 
Now,  how  can  we  do  anything  >    Our 
fort  is  small,  and  there  is  always 
danger  of  trouble  with  the  Indians. 
We  can't  force  men  to  join  a  relief 
party  like  this,  and  who  will  volun- 
teer?     Who  would  lead  such  a  party 

and  who  will  make  up  the  party  to 
be  led?  " 

The  brown  face  of  Jaspar  Hume 
was  not  mobile.  It  changed  in  ex- 
pression  but  seldom;  it  preserved  a 

lO 


ill 


tSbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TObfte  Ouarb 

steady  and  satisfying  character  of 
intelligence  and  force.  The  eyes, 
however,  were  of  an  inquiring,  de- 
bating kind,  that  moved  from  one 
thing  to  another  as  if  to  get  a  sense 
of  balance  before  opinion  or  judg- 
ment was  expressed.  The  face  had 
remained  impassive,  but  the  eyes 
had  kindled  a  little  as  the  Factor 
talked.  To  the  Factor's  despairing 
question  there  was  not  an  immediate 
reply.  The  eyes  were  debating. 
But  they  suddenly  steadied  and  Jas- 
par  Hume  said  sententiously,  "A 
relief  party  should  go." 

"Yes,    yes;    but  who  is   to    lead 
them?" 

Again  the  eyes  debated. 

"  Read  her  letter,"  said  the  Factor, 
handing  him  it. 

It 


t 


gbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  mbite  Ouard 

Jaspar  Hume  took  it  and  mechan- 
ically scanned  it. 

The  Factor  had  moved  toward  the 
table  for  hi-,  pipe  or  he  would  have 
seen  the  other  start,  and  his  nostrils 
slightly  quiver  as  his  eyes  grew  con- 
scious of  what  they  were  looking 
at.  Turning  quickly,  Jaspar  Hume 
walked  toward  the  window  as  if  for 
more  light,  and  with  his  back  to  his 
superior  be  read  the  letter.  Then 
he  turned  and  said,  "I  think  this 
thing  should  be  done." 

The  Factor  shrugged  his  shoulders 
slightly :  "  Well,  as  to  that,  I  think 
so  too,  but  thinking  and  doing  are 
two  different  things,  Hume." 

"  Will  you  leave  the  matter  in  my 
hands  until  the  morning?  " 

"  Yes,  of  course,  and  glad  to  do  so. 

12 


H 
p) 

Q 


I 

S 

H 
% 


M  M, 


I 


JOie  Aarcb  of  tbe  TKlbite  Ouarb 


You  are  the  only  man  who  can  ar- 
range tbe  affair,  if  it  is  to  be  done  at 
all.  But  I  tell  you,  as  you  know, 
that  everything  will  depend  upon  a 
leader,  even  if  you  secure  the  men. 
...  So  you  had  better  keep  the  let- 
ter for  to-night.  It  may  help  you  to 
get  the  men  together.  A  woman's 
handwriting  will  do  more  than  a 
man's  word  any  time." 

Jaspar  Hume's  eyes  had  been  look- 
ing at  the  Factor,  but  they  were 
studying  something  else.  His  face 
seemed  not  quite  so  fresh  as  it  was  a 
few  minutes  before. 

"  I  will  see  you  dt  ten  o'clock  to- 
morrow morning,  Mr.  Field,"  he  said 
quietly.  "  Will  you  let  Gosse  come 
to  me  in  an  hour?  " 

"  Certainly .     Good  night. " 
>5 


r 


M 


••      {,  : 

!  h 

1 ,3. 

i  i 


w 


(Tbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  xmbiu  0uar» 


Jaspar  Hume  let  himself  out.  He 
walked  across  a  small  square  to  a 
log-house  and  opened  the  door,  which 
creaked  and  shrieked  with  the  frost. 
A  dog  sprang  upon  him  as  he  did  so, 
and  rubbed  its  head  against  his 
breast.  He  touched  the  head  as  if 
it  had  been  that  of  a  child,  and  said, 
"  Lie  down,  Jacques." 

It  did  so,  but  it  watched  him  as 
he  doffed  his  dog-skin  cap  and  buf- 
falo coat.       He    looked   round   the 
room  slowly  once  as  if  he  wished  to 
fix  it  clearly  and  deeply  in  his  mind. 
Then  he  sat  down  and  held  near  the 
firelight  the  letter  the  Factor  had 
given  him.     His  features  grew  set 
and  stern  as  he  read  it.     Once  he 
paused  in   the  reading  and  looked 
into    the  fire,   drawing   his    breath 
i6 


Cbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  Wbite  euart 


sharply  between  his  teeth.  Then 
he  read  it  to  the  end  without  a  sign. 
A  pause,  and  he  said,  "So  this  is 
how  the  lines  meet  again,  Varre 
Lepage!"  He  read  the  last  sen- 
tence of  the  letter  aloud: 

"  In  the  hope  that  you  may  soon 
give  me  good  news  of  my  husband, 
I  am,  with  all  respect, 

"  Sincerely  yours, 

"Rose  Lepacjk." 

Again  he  repeated,  "  With  all  re- 
spect, sincerely  yours,  Rose  Lepage." 

The  dog  Jacques  looked  up.  Per- 
haps it  detected  something  unusual 
in  the  voice.  It  rose,  came  over, 
and  laid  its  head  on  its  master's 
knee.  Jaspar  Hume's  hand  fell 
gently  on  the  head,  and  he  said  to 
»7 


t 


Sbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TKlbUe  Guard 


ii 


the  fire,  "Rose  Lepage,  you  can 
write  to  Factor  Field  what  you  dare 
not  write  to  your  husband  if  you 
knew!  You  might  say  to  him  then, 
•  With  all  love,'  but  not  '  With  all 
respect. '  " 

He  folded  the  letter  and  put  it  in 
his  pocket.  Then  he  took  the  dog's 
head  between  his  hands  and  said: 
"  Listen,  Jacques,  and  I  will  tell  you 
a  story."  The  dog  blinked,  and 
pushed  its  nose  against  its  master's 
arm. 

"Ten  years  ago  two  young  men 
who  had  studied  and  graduated  to- 
gether at  the  same  college  were 
struggling  together  in  their  profes- 
sion  as  civil  engineers.  One  was 
Varre  Lepage  and  the  other  was 
Jaspar  Hume.  The  one  was  bril- 
i8 


tCbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  mbtte  0iMr5 


liant  and  persuasive,  the  other  was 
persistent  and  studious.     Varre  Le- 
page could  have  succeeded  in  any 
profession;   Jaspar  Hume  had  only 
heart  and  mind  for  one.     Only  for 
one,  Jacques,  you  understand.     He 
lived  in  it,  he  loved  it,  he  saw  great 
things  to  be  achieved  in  it.     He  had 
got  an  idea.     He  worked  at  it  night 
and  day,  he  thought  it  out,  he  de- 
veloped it,  he  perfected  it,  he  was 
ready  to  give  it  to  the  world.     But 
he  was  seized  with  illness,  became 
blind,  and  was  ordered  to  a  warm 
climate  for  a  year.     He  left  his  idea, 
his  invention,  behind  him — his  com- 
plete idea.     While  he  was  gone  his 
bosom  friend  stole  his  perfected  idea 
—yes,  stole  his  perfected  idea,  and 
sold  it  for  twenty  thousand  dollars. 
19 


Cbe  Aarcb  of  tbc  VObite  Ouard 


He  was  called  a  genius,  a  great  in- 
ventor. And  then  he  married  /nr. 
You  don't  know  her,  Jacques.  You 
never  saw  pretty  Rose  Varcoe,  who, 
liking  two  men,  chose  the  one  who 
was  handsome  and  brilliant,  and 
whom  the  world  called  a  genius. 
Why  didn't  Jaspar  Hume  expose 
him,  Jacques?  Proof  is  not  always 
easy,  and  then  he  had  to  think  of 
//rr.  One  has  to  think  of  a  woman 
in  such  a  case,  Jacques.  Even  a 
dog  can  see  that." 

He  was  silent  for  a  moment,  and 
then  he  said,  "  Come,  Jacques.  You 
will  keep  secret  what  I  show  you." 

He  went  to  a  large  box  in  the 
corner,  unlocked  it,  and  took  out  a 
model  made  of  brass  and  copper  and 
smooth  but  unpolished  v/ood. 

20 


^^w^^^tS^sas 


(Tbe  Aaccb  of  tbe  VIbtte  euarb 


"After  ten  years  of  banishment, 
Jacques,  he  has  worked  out  another 
idea,  you  see.  It  should  be  worth 
ten  times  the  other,  and  the  world 
called  the  other  the  work  of  a  genius, 

dog." 

Then  he  became  silent,  the  animal 
watching  him  the  while.  It  had 
seen  him  working  at  this  model  for 
many  a  day,  but  had  never  heard 
him  talk  so  much  at  a  time  as  he  had 
done  this  last  ten  minutes.  Jaspar 
Hume  was  generally  a  silent  man; 
decisive  even  to  severity,  careless 
carriers  and  shirking  under-officers 
thought.  Yet  none  could  complain 
that  he  was  unjust.  He  was  simply 
stiaightforward,  and  he  had  no  sym- 
pathy with  those  who  were  not  the 
same.     He   had  carried  a  drunken 

21 


Cbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  Toabfte  0uard 


Indian  on  his  back  for  miles,  and 
from  a  certain  death  by  frost.     He 
had,  for  want  of  a  more  convenient 
punishment,  promptly  knocked  down 
Jeff  Hyde,  the  sometime  bully  of  the 
Fort,  for  appropriating  a  bundle  of 
furs  belonging  to    a    French   half- 
breed,    Gaspe    Toujours.       But    he 
nursed  JefT  Hyde  through  an  attack 
of  pneumonia,  insisting  at  the  same 
time    that    Gaspe   Toujours    should 
help  him.     The  result  of  it  all  was 
that  Jeff  Hyde  and  Gaspe  Toujours 
became  constant  allies.     They  both 
formulated    their    oaths    by   Jaspar 
Hume.      The  Indian,  Cloud-in-the- 
Sky,  though  by  word  never  thanking 
his  rescuer,  could  not  be  induced  to 
leave  the  Fort,  except  on  some  mis- 
sion with  which  Jaspar  Hume  was 


22 


trbe  Aatcb  of  tbe  Wbite  Ouatd 


connected.     He  preferred  living  an 
undignified,  an  un-Indian  life,  and 
earning    his    food   and    shelter    by 
coarsely  laboring  with   his    hands. 
He  came  at  least  twice   a  week  to 
Jaspar  Hume's  log-house,  and,  sit- 
ting down   silent   and   cross-legged 
before  the   fire,   watched    the   Sub- 
factor  working  at  his  drawings  and 
calculations.     Sitting  so  for  perhaps 
an  hour  or  more,  and  smoking  all  the 
time,  he  would  rise,  and  with  a  grunt, 
which  was  answered  by  a  kindly  nod, 
would  pass  out  as  silently  as  he  came. 
And  now  as  Jaspar  Hume  stood 
looking  at  his  "Idea,"  Cloud-in-the- 
Sky  entered,  let  his  blanket  fall  by 
the  hearthstone  and  sat  down  upon 
it.     If    Jaspar  Hume    saw  him   or 
heard  him,  he  at  least  gave  no  sign 
«3 


Zbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  Tiabite  Ouarb 


i  I 


3''  ' 


at  first.  He  said  in  a  low  tone  to 
the  dog,  "  It  is  finished,  Jacques ;  it 
is  ready  for  the  world." 

Then  he  put  it  back,  locked  the 
box,  and  turned  toward  Cloud-in-the- 
Sky  and  the  fireplace.  The  Indian 
grunted ;  the  other  nodded  with  the 
debating  look  again  dominant  in  his 
eyes.  The  Indian  met  the  look  with 
stoic  calm.  There  was  something 
in  Jaspar  Hume's  habitual  reticence 
and  decisiveness  in  action  which  ap- 
pealed more  to  Cloud-in-the-Sky  than 
any  freedom  of  speech  could  possibly 
have  done. 

Jaspar  Hume  sat  down,  handed 
the  Indian  a  pipe  and  tobacco,  and, 
with  arms  folded,  watched  the  fire. 
For  half  an  hour  they  sat  so,  white 
man,  Indian,  and  dog.  Then  Jaspar 
24 


Hbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  Tmbite  Ouarb 


Hume  rose,  went  to  a  cupboard,  took 
out  some  sealing-wax  and  matches, 
and  in  a  moment  melted  wax  was 
dropping  upon  the  lock  of  the  box 
containing  his  Idea.  He  had  just 
finished  this  as  Sergeant  Gosse 
knocked  at  the  door,  and  immedi- 
ately after  entered  the  room. 

'•  Gosse,"  said  the  Sub-factor,  "  find 
Jeff  Hyde,  Gaspe  Toujours,  and  Late 
Carscallen,  and  bring  them  here." 
Sergeant  Gosse  immediately  departed 
upon  this  errand.  Jaspar  Hume 
then  turned  to  Cloud-in-the-Sky,  and 
said,  "Cloud-in-the-Sky,  I  want  you 
to  go  a  long  journey  hereaway  to 
the  Barren  Grounds.  Have  twelve 
dogs  ready  by  nine  o'clock  to-mor- 
row morning." 

Cloud-in-the-Sky  shook  his  head 
as 


i 


,-.  _ .- .arriffiB-g 


"H 


i:  * 


Vbe  Aavcb  of  tbe  Wbite  Ouatd 

thoughtfully,  and  then  after  a  pause 
said,  "  Strong-back  go  too?  "  (Strong- 
back  was  his  name  for  Jaspar  Hume.) 
But  the  other  either  did  not  or  would 
not  hear.  The  Indian,  however, 
appeared  satisfied,  for  he  smoked 
harder  afterward,  and  grunted  to 
himself  many  times.  A  few  moments 
passed,  and  then  Sergeant  Gosse  en- 
tered, followed  by  Jeff  Hyde,  Gasp6 
Toujours,  and  Late  Carscallen.  Late 
Carscallen  had  got  his  name  "  Late  " 
from  having  been  called  "  The  Late 
Mr.  Carscallen  "  by  the  Chief  Factor 
because  of  his  slowness.  Slow  as 
he  was,  however,  the  stout  Scotsman 
had  more  than  once  proved  himself 
sound  and  true  according  to  Jaspar 
Hume's  ideas.     He  was,  of  course, 

the  last  to  enter. 

36 


itii 


Hbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TUnbite  Guard 


The     men     grouped     themselves 
about  the  fire,  Late  Carscallen  get- 
ting the  coldest  comer.     Each  man 
drew  his  tobacco  from  his  pocket, 
and,  cutting  it,  waited  for  Sub-factor 
Hume  to  speak.     His  eyes  were  de- 
bating as  they  rested  on  the  four. 
Then  he  took  out  Rose  Lepage's  let- 
ter, and,  with  the  group  looking  at 
him  now,  he  read  it  aloud.     When 
it    was    finished    Cloud-in-the-Sky 
gave  a  guttural  assent,  and  Gasp^ 
Toujours,  looking  at  Jeff  Hyde,  said, 
"It  is  cold  in  the  Barren  Grounds. 
We  shall  need  much  tabac."     These 
men   could    read  without   difficulty 
Jaspar  Hume's  reason  for  summon- 
ing them.     To  Gasp6  Toujours's  re- 
mark Jeif  Hyde  nodded  affirmatively 
and  then  all  looked   at   Late  Car- 
27 


■  ■  I 


TTDc  ittarcb  ot  tbc  TlBlbtte  CuatO 

scallen.  He  opened  his  heavy  jaws 
once  or  twice  with  an  animal-like 
sound,  and  then  he  said,  in  a  gen- 
eral kind  of  way, 

"To  the  Barren  Grounds.  But 
who  leads?" 

Jaspar  Hume  was  writing  on  a  sHp 
of  paper,  and  he  did  not  reply.  The 
faces  of  three  of  them  showed  just  a 
shade  of  anxiety.  They  had  their 
opinions,  but  they  were  not  sure. 
Cloud-in-the-Sky,  however,  grunted 
at  them,  and  raised  the  bowl  of  his 
pipe  toward  the  Sub-factor.  The 
anxiety  then  seemed  to  be  dis- 
pelled. 

For  ten  minutes  more  they  sat  so, 

all  silent.     Then  Jaspar  Hume  rose, 

handed  the  slip  of  paper  to  Sergeant 

Gosse,  and  said,  "  Attend  to  that  at 
28 


ilj 


tn)e  Aarcb  of  tbe  VAbtte  euard 


once,  Gosse.    Examine  the  food  and 
blankets  closely." 

The  five  were  left  alone. 
•    Then  Jaspar  Hume  spoke:  "Jeff 
Hyde,   Gasp€  Toujours,  Late   Car- 
scallen,   and  Cloud-in-the-Sky,   this 
man,  alive  or  dead,  is  between  here 
and  the  Barren  Grounds.     He  must 
be  found — for  his  wife's  sake."    He 
handed  Jeff  Hyde  her  letter.    Jeff 
Hyde  rubbed  his  fingers  before  he 
touched  the  delicate  and  perfumed 
missive.     Its  delicacy  seemed  to  be- 
wilder him.     He  said  in  a  rough  but 
kindly  way,  "  Hope  to  die  if  I  don't," 
and  passed  it  on  to  Gasp€  Toujours, 
who    did  not  find   it   necessary  to 
speak.     His  comrade  had  answered 
for  him.     Late  Carscallen  held  it  in- 
quisitively for  a  moment,  and  then 
29 


: 


f 


PI 


9be  Aarcb  of  tbe  TPOlbite  euarb 

his  jaws  opened  and  shut  as  if  he 
were  about  to  speak.  But  before  he 
did  so  the  Sub-factor  said,  "It  is  a 
long  journey  and  a  hard  one.  Those 
who  go  may  never  come  back.  But 
this  man  was  working  for  his  coun- 
try, and  he  has  got  a  wife — a  good 
wife !  '*  He  held  up  the  letter. 
"  Late  Carscallen  wants  to  know  who 
will  lead  you.  Can't  you  trust  me? 
I  will  give  you  a  leader  that  you  will 
follow  to  the  Barren  Grounds.  To- 
morrow you  will  know  who  he  is. 
Men,  are  you  satisfied?  Will  you 
do  it?  " 

The  four  rose,  and  Cloud-in-the- 
Sky  nodded  approvingly  many  times. 
The  Sub-factor  held  out  his  hand. 
Each  man  shook  it,  Jeff  Hyde  first; 
and  he  said,  "  Close  up  ranks  for  the 
30 


ill 


Zbe  Aatcb  of  tbe  mbite  OtiarD 


H.  B.  C. !  "     (H.  B.  C.    meaning   of 
course  Hudson  Bay  Company.) 

With  a  good  man  to  lead  them 
they  would  have  stormed,  alone,  the 
Heights  of  Balaklava. 

Once  more  Jaspar  Hume  spoke: 
"  Go  to  Gosse  and  get  your  outfits  at 
nine  to-morrow  morning.  Cloud-in- 
the-Sky,  have  your  sleds  at  the  store 
at  eight  o'clock,  to  be  loaded.  Then 
all  meet  me  at  lo :  1 5  at  the  office  of 
the  Chief  Factor.     Good  night." 

As  they  passed  out  into  the  semi- 
arctic  night.  Late  Carscallen  with  an 
unreal  obstinacy  said,  "  Slow  march 
to  the  Barren  Grounds — but  who 
leads?  " 

Left  rlone  the  Sub-factor  sat  down 
to  the  pine  table  at  one  end  of  the 
room  and  after  a  short  hesitation  be- 
31 


Vbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TRBbitc  Ouarb 


gan    to   write.     For   hours   he  sat 
there,  rising  only  to  put  wood  on  the 
fire.     The  result  was  three  letters: 
the  largest  addressed  to  a  famous 
society  in  London,  one  to  a  solicitor 
in  Montreal,  and  one  to  Mr.  Field, 
the  Chief  Factor.     They  were  all 
sealed     carefully.        Then     Jaspar 
Hume  rose,  took  out  his  knife  and 
went  over  to  the  box  as  if  to  break 
the  red  seal.     He  paused,  however, 
sighed,    and    put    the    knife    back 
again.     As  he  did  so  he  felt  some- 
thing touch  his  leg.     It  was  the  dog. 
Jaspar  Hume  drew  in  a  sharp  breath 
and  said,  "  It  was  all  ready,  Jacques ; 
and    in    another    three    months    I 
should  have  been  in  London  with  it. 

But  it  will  go  whether  I  go  or  not 

whether  I  go  or  not,  Jacques."    The 
3« 


(R>e  Aarcb  of  tbc  tnbttc  Otuird. 

dog  sprang  up  and  put    his  head 
against  his  ^uiaster's  breast. 

"Good  dog!  good  dog!  it's  all 
right,  Jacques;  however  it  goes,  it's 
all  right!" 

Then  the  dog  lay  down  and 
watched  the  man  until  he  drew  the 
blankets  to  his  chin,  and  sleep  drew 
oblivion  over  a  fighting  but  masterly 
soul. 
3 


33 


tii  \i 


11 


II. 

At  ten  o'clock  next  morning  Jas- 
par  Hume  presented  himself  at  the 
Chief  Factor's  office.  He  bore  with 
him  the  letters  he  had  written  the 
night  before. 

The  Factor  said,  "Well,  Hume,  I 
am  glad  to  see  you.  That  woman's 
letter  was  on  my  mind  all  night. 
Have  you  anything  to  propose?  I 
suppose  not,"  he  added  despairingly, 
as  he  looked  closely  into  the  face  of 
the  other. 

"Yes,  Mr.  Field,  I  propose  this: 
that  the  expedition  shall  start  at 
noon  to-day." 

"  Shall— start— at  noon— to-day?  " 
35 


ISbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TKIbfte  Ouarb 


"In  two  hours." 

"  But,  who  are  the  party?  " 

"  Jeflf  Hyde,  Gasp6  Toujours,  Late 
Carscallen  and  Cloud-in-the-Sky." 

"And  who  leads  them,  Hume? 
Who  leads?  " 

"  With  your  permission,  sir,  I  do." 

"You,  Hume!  You!  But,  man, 
consider  the  danger!  And  then 
there  is— there  is,  your  invention !  " 

"  I  have  considered  all.  Here  are 
three  letters.  If  we  do  not  come 
back  in  three  months,  you  will  please 
send  this  one,  with  the  box  in  my 
room,  to  the  address  on  the  en- 
velope; this  is  for  a  solicitor  in 
Montreal,  which  you  will  also  for- 
ward as  soon  as  possible;  this  last 
one  is  for  yourself;  but  you  will  not 
open  it  until  the  three  months  have 
36 


If 

■;  i 


XSbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TBSbtte  0ttar^ 

passed.  Have  I  your  permission  to 
lead  these  men?  They  would  not 
go  without  me." 

"I  know  thai.,  I  know  th;,t,  Hume. 
I  hate  to  hav-  you  go,  nut  I  can't 
say  no.  Go,  and  good  luck  go  with 
you." 

Here  the  manly  old  Factor  turned 
away  his  head.  He  knew  that 
Jaspar  Hume  had  done  right.  He 
knew  the  possible  sacrifice  this  man 
was  making  of  all  his  hopes,  of  his 
very  life ;  and  his  sound  Scotch  heart 
appreciated  the  act  to  the  full.  But 
he  did  not  know  all.  He  did  not 
know  that  Jaspar  Hume  was  starting 
to  look  for  the  man  who  had  robbed 
him  of  youth  and  hope  and  genius 
and  home. 

"  Here  is  a  letter  that  the  wife  has 
37 


_ 


u 


(Tbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  mblte  0uarb 

written  to  her  husband  in  the  hope 
that  he  is  alive.  You  will  take  it 
with  you,  Hume.  And  the  other 
she  wrote  to  me,  shall  I  keep  it?" 
He  held  out  his  hand. 

"  No,  sir,  I  will  keep  it,  if  you  will 
allow  me.  It  is  my  commission,  you 
know."  And  the  shadow  of  a  smile 
hovered  about  Jaspar  Hume's  lips. 

The  Factor  smiled  kindly  as  he 
replied,  "Ah,  yes,  your  commission 
— Captain  Jaspar  Hume  of — of  what, 
Hume?" 

Just  then  the  door  opened  and 
there  entered  the  four  men  whom 
we  saw  around  the  Sub-factor's  fire 
the  night  before.  They  were  dress- 
ed in  white  blanket  costumes  from 
head  to  foot,  white  woollen  capotes 
covering  the  gray  fur  caps  they 
38 


Cbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  mbite  (3uacd 


wore.  Jaspar  Hume  ran  his  eye 
over  them  and  then  answered  the 
Factor's  question:  "Of  the  White 
Guard,  sir." 

"Good,"  was  the  reply.  "Men, 
you  are  going  on  a  relief  expedition 
— one  in  which  there  is  danger. 
You  need  a  good  leader.  You  have 
one  in  Captain  Jaspar  Hume." 

Jeff  Hyde  shook  his  head  at  the 
others  with  a  pleased  I-told-you-so 
expression ;  Cloud-in-the-Sky  grunt- 
ed his  deep  approval;  and  Late 
Carscallen  smacked  his  lips  in  a 
satisfied  manner  and  rubbed  his  leg 
with  a  school-boy  sense  of  enjoy- 
ment. The  Factor  continued:  "In 
the  name  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Com- 
pany I  will  say  that  if  you  come 
back,  having  done  your  duty  faith- 
39 


t9 


XLbc  Aarcb  of  tbe  TSlblte  <5nzvb 

fully,  you  shall  be  well  rewarded. 
And  I  believe  you  will  come  back, 
if  it  is  in  human  power  to  do  so." 

Here  Jeff  Hyde  said,  "It  isn't  for 
reward  we're  doln'  it,  Mr.  Field,  but 
because  Captain  Hume  wished  it, 
because  we  believed  he'd  lead  us; 
and  for  the  lost  fellow's  wife.  We 
wouldn't  have  said  we'd  do  it,  if  it 
wasn't  for  him  that's  just  called  us 
the  White  Guard." 

Under  the  bronze  of  the  Sub-fac- 
tor's face  there  spread  a  glow  more 
red  than  brown,  and  he  said  simply, 
"Thank  you,  men" — for  they  had 
all  nodded  assent  to  Jeff  Hyde's 
words — "  Come  with  me  to  the  store. 
We  will  start  at  noon." 

And    at   noon    the   White  Guard 

stood  in  front  of  the  store  on  which 
40 


A-i    M. 


CTbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  Wbite  Oiuicd 


the  British  flag  was  hoisted  with  an- 
other beneath  it  bearing  the  magic 
letters,  H.  B.  C. :  magic,  because 
they  have  opened  to  the  world  regions 
that  seemed  destined  never  to  know 
the  touch  of  civilization.  The  few 
inhabitants  of  the  Fort  had  gathered ; 
the  dogs  and  loaded  sleds  were  at 
the  door.  The  White  Guard  were 
there  too — all  but  their  leader.  It 
wanted  but  two  minutes  to  twelve 
when  Jaspar  Hume  came  from  his 
house,  dressed  also  in  the  white 
blanket  costume,  and  followed  by 
his  dog,  Jacques.  In  a  moment 
more  he  had  placed  Jacques  at  the 
head  of  the  first  team  of  dogs.  They 
were  to  have  their  leader  too;  and 
they  testified  to  the  fact  by  a  bark  of 

approval.     Punctually  at  noon,  Jas- 
41 


a.  . 

n 


ri 


Zbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TSnbtte  (Buard 

par  Hume  shook  hands  with  the 
Factor,  said  a  quick  good-bye  to  the 
rest,  called  out  a  friendly  "How!" 
to  the  Indians  standing  near,  and  to 
the  sound  of  a  hearty  cheer,  heartier 
perhaps  because  none  had  a  confi- 
dent hope  that  the  five  would  come 
back,  the  March  of  the  White  Guard 
began. 


*» 


III. 

It  is  eighteen  days  after.  In  the 
shadow  of  a  liltle  island  of  pines, 
that  lies  in  a  shivering  waste  of  ice 
and  snow,  the  White  Guard  camp. 
They  are  able  to  do  this  night  what 

they  have  not  done  for  days dig  a 

great  grave  of  snow,  and  building  a 
fire  of  pine  wood  at  each  end  of  this 
strange    house,    get   protection    and 
something  like  comfort.      They  sit 
close  to  the  fires.     Jaspar  Hume  is 
writing  with  numbed  fingers.     The 
extract  that   follows   is  taken  from 
his  diary.      It  tells  that  day's  life, 
and    so  gives   an    idea  of    harder, 
sterner  days  that  they   have   spent 
43 


Zhe  Aarcb  of  tbe  mblte  0uar5 


and  will  spend,  on  this  weary  jour- 
ney. 

''December  25///.— This  is  Christ- 
mas Day  and  Camp  twenty-seven. 
We  have  marched  only  five  miles  to- 
d£.y.  We  are  eighty  miles  from 
Great  Fish  River,  and  the  worst  yet 
to  do.  We  have  discovered  no 
signs.  Jeff  Hyde  has  had  a  bad  two 
days  with  his  frozen  foot.  Gasp6 
Toujours  helps  him  nobly.  One  of 
the  dogs  died  this  morning.  Jacques 
is  a  great  leader.  This  night's 
shelter  is  a  godsend.  Cloud-in- 
the-Sky  has  a  plan  whereby  some  of 
us  will  sleep  well.  We  are  in  lati- 
tude 63°  47'  and  longitude  112°  32' 
14".     Have  worked  out  lunar  obser- 

JH 
vations.     '^ '-"''   "  *  "^^   — ' 


Have  marked  a  tee 


27 


44 


Zbe  A«ccb  of  tbe  TPQblte  OuarO 


and  raised  cairn  No.  3.  We  are 
able  to  celebrate  Christmas  Day  with 
a  good  basin  of  tea,  and  our  stand- 
by of  beans  cooked  in  fat.  I  was 
right  about  them:  they  have  great 
sustaining  power.  To-morrow  we 
will  start  at  ten  o'clook." 

The  writing  done,  Jaspar  Hume 
puts  his  book  away  and  turns  toward 
the  rest.  Cloud-in-the-Sky  and  Late 
Carscallen  are  smoking.  Little  can 
be  seen  of  their  faces;  they  are 
muffled  to  the  eyes.  Gasp€  Toujours 
is  drinking  a  basin  of  tea,  and  Jeff 
Hyde  is  fitfully  dozing  by  the  fire. 
The  dogs  are  above  in  the  tent,  all 
but  Jacques,  who  to-night  is  per- 
mitted to  be  near  his  master.  The 
Sub-factor  rises,  akes  from  a  knap- 
sack a  small  tin  pail,  and  puts  it  near 
45 


I 


Zbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TKnblte  Ouard 


the  fire.  This  operation  is  watched 
by  the  others.  Then  he  takes  five 
little  cups  that  fit  snugly  into  each 
other,  separates  them,  and  puts  them 
also  near  the  fire.  None  of  the  party 
speak.  A  change  seems  to  pass  over 
the  faces  of  all  except  Cloud-in-the- 
Sky.  He  smokes  on  unmoved.  At 
length  the  Sub-factor  speaks  cheer- 
ily: "Now,  men,  before  we  turn  in 
we'll  do  something  in  honor  of  the 
day.  Liquor  we  none  of  us  have 
touched  since  we  vStarted;  but  back 
the  in  the  Fort,  and  maybe  in 
other  places  too,  they  will  be  think- 
ing of  us;  so  we'll  drink  a  health 
to  them  though  it's  but  a  spoonful, 
and  to  the  day  when  we  see  them 
again !  " 

The  cups  were  passed  round .     The 
46 


tTbe  Aatcb  of  tbe  TKlbite  Ouar^ 

Sub- factor  measured  out  a  very  small 
portion  to  each.  They  were  not 
men  of  uncommon  sentiment;  their 
lives  were  rigid  and  isolated  and 
severe.  Fireside  comforts  under 
fortunate  conditions  they  saw  but 
seldom,  and  they  were  not  given  to 
expressing  their  feelings  demonstra- 
tively. But  each  man  then,  save 
Cloud-in-the-Sky,  had  some  memory 
worth  a  resurrection,  and  hearts  are 
hearts  even  under  all  uncouthness. 
Jasper  Hume  raised  his  cup;  the 
rest  followed  his  example.  "To 
absent  friends  and  the  day  when  we 
see  them  again!  "  he  said;  and  they 
all  drank.  Gasp^  Tou jours  solemn- 
ly, and  as  if  no  one  was  near,  made 
the  sign  of  the  cross ;  for  his  mem- 
ory was  with  a  dark-eyed,  soft- 
47 


I 


Cbe  Aarcb  of  tbc  Mbitc  OuarO 


cheeked  peasant  girl  of  the  parish  of 
Saint  Gabrielle,  whom  he  had  left 
behind  five  years  before,  and  had 
never  seen  since.  Word  had  come 
from  the  parish  priest  that  she  was 
dying,  and  though  he  wrote  back  in 
his  homely  patois  of  his  grief,  and 
begged  that  the  good  father  would 
write  again,  no  word  had  ever  come, 
and  he  though  of  her  now  as  one  for 
whom  the  candles  hud  been  lighted 
and  masses  had  been  said. 

But  JeflF  Hyde's  eyes  were  bright, 
and  suffering  as  he  was,  the  heart  in 
him  was  brave  and  hopeful.  He 
was  thinking  of  a  glorious  Christmas 
Day  upon  the  Madawaska  River 
three  years  agone ;  of  Adam  Henry, 
the  blind  fiddler;  of  bright,  warm- 
hearted Pattie  Chown,  the  belle  of 
48 


Vbc  Aarcb  of  tbe  mbtte  euarb 


the  ball,  and  the  long  drive  home  in 
the  frosty  night. 

Late  Carscallen  was  thinking  of  a 
brother  whom  he  had  heard  preach 
his  first  sermon   in  Edinburgh  ten 
years  before.     And  Late  Carscallen, 
slow  of    speech   and   thought,   had 
been  full  of  pride  and  love  of  that 
brilliant  brother.     But  they,  in  the 
natural    course    of    things,    drifted 
apart;  the  slow  and  uncouth  one  to 
make  his  home  at  last  not  fai  '"om 
the  Arctic  Circle,   and  to    bt   ;  i  s 
night    on    his   way   to   the    Barren 
Grounds.     But  as  he  stood  with  the 
cup  to  his  lips  he  recalled  the  words 
of  a  newspaper  paragraph  of  a  few 
months  before.     It  made  reference 
to  the  fact  that  "  the  Reverend  James 
Carscallen,    D.D.,   preached    before 
4  49 


tTbe  iftarcb  ot  tbe  TObtte  Ouarb 

Her   Majesty  on   Whitsunday,   and 
had  the  honor  of  lunching  with  Her 
Majesty  afterward. "    And  Late  Car. 
scallen  rubbed  his  left  hand  joyfully 
against  his  blanketed  leg  and  drank. 
Cloud-tn-the-Sky's  thoughts  were 
with  the  ^  resent,  and  his  "  Ugh !  "  of 
approval  was  one  of  the  senses  pure- 
ly.    Instead  of  drinking  to  absent 
friends  he  looked  at  the  Sub-factor 
and  said,  "  How !  "     He  drank  to  the 
Sub-factor. 

And  Jaspar  Hume,  the  Sub-factor, 
what  were  his  thoughts? 

His  was  a  memory  of  childhood; 
of  a  house  beside  a  swift-flowing 
river,  where  a  gentle  widowed 
mother  braced  her  heart  against 
misfortune  and  denied  herself  and 
slaved  that  her  son  might  be  edu- 
50 


QDe  Aarcb  of  tbe  Tmbite  (Buarb 

cated.     He  had  said  to  her  that  some 
day  he  would  be  a  great  man,  and 
she  would  be  paid  back  a  hundred- 
fold .     And  he  worked  hard  at  school , 
very  hard.      But  one  cold  day  of 
spring  a  message  came  to  the  school, 
and  he  sped  homeward  to  the  house 
beside  the  dark  river  down   which 
the  ice  was  floating — he  would  re- 
member that  floating  ice  to  his  dying 
day — and  entered  a  quiet  room  where 
a  white-faced  woman  was  breathing 
away  her  life.     And  he  fell  at  her 
side  and  kissed  her  hand  and  called 
to  her ;  and  she  waked  for  a  moment 
only  and  smiled  on  him,  and  said, 
"Be  good,  my  boy,  and  God  will 
make  you  great.'*     And  then  she 
said  she  was  cold.     And  some  one 
felt  her  feet — a  kind  old  soul  who 


li 


Cbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  mblte  Ouard 


!  j- 


i     I 


II 


shook  her  head  sadly  at  the  mother 
and  looked  pityingly  at  him;  and  a 
voice  rising  out  of  a  strange  smiling 
languor  murmured,  "I'll  away,  I'll 
away  to  the  Promised  Land— to  the 
Promised  Land !     It  is  cold— so  cold 
—God  keep  my  boy!"      And  the 
voice  ceased,  and  the  kind  old  soul 
who  had    looked  at  him  pityingly 
folded  her  arms  about  him,  and  drew 
his  brown  head  to  her  breast  and 
kissed  him  with  flowing  eyes  and 
whispered,  "Come  away,  dear,  come 
away." 

But  he  came  back  in  the  night  and 
sat  beside  her,  and  would  not  go 
away,  but  remained  there  till  the 
sun  grew  bright,  and  then  through 
another  day  and  night  until  they 
bore  her  out  of  the  little  house  by 
52 


Sbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TSnbfte  Ouacb 


the  river  to  the  frozen  hill-side. 
And  the  world  was  empty  and  the 
icy  river  seemed  warmer  than  his 
heart. 

And  sitting  here  in  this  winter 
desolation  Jaspar  Hume  beholds 
these  scenes  of  twenty  years  before 
and  follows  himself,  a  poor  dispens- 
ing clerk  in  a  doctor's  office,  work- 
ing for  that  dream  of  achievement 
in  which  his  mother  believed;  for 
which  she  hoped.  And  following 
further  the  boy  that  was  himself,  he 
saw  a  friendless  first-year  man  at 
college,  soon,  however,  to  make  a 
friend  of  Varre  Lepage,  and  to  see 
always  the  best  of  that  friend,  being 
himself  so  true.  And  the  day  came 
when  they  both  graduated  together 
in  science,  a  bright  and  happy  day, 
53 


Cbe  asMcb  of  tbe  TBlbltc  euard 


Hi 


succeeded  by  one  still  brighter,  when 
they  both  entered  a  great  firm  as 
junior    partners.     Then    came    the 
meeting  with  Rose  Varcoe;  and  he 
thought  of  how  he  praised  his  friend 
Varre  Lepage  to  her,  and  brought 
that  friend  to  be  introduced  to  her. 
He  recalled  all   those  visions  that 
came  to  him  when,  his  professional 
triumphs  achieved,  he  should  have  a 
happy  home,  and  a  happy  face,  and 
faces,  by  his  fireside.     And  f/ie  face 
was  to  be  that  of  Rose  Varcoe,  and 
the  others,  faces  of  those  who  should 
be  like  her  and  like  himself.     He 
saw,  or  rather  felt,  that  face  clouded 
and  anxious  when  he  went  away  ill 
and  blind  for  health's  sake.     He  did 
not  write.     The  doctors  forbade  him 
that.     He  did  not  ask  her  to  write, 
54 


Vbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  mbite  Guard 


for  his  was  so  strong  and  steadfast  a 
nature  that  he  did  not  need  letters 
to  keep  him  true ;  and  he  thought  if 
she  cared  for  him  she  must  be  the 
same.  He  did  not  understand  a 
woman's  heart,  how  it  needs  remem- 
brances, and  needs  to  give  remem- 
brances. 

Looking  at  Jaspar  Hume's  face  in 
the  light  of  this  fire  it  seems  calm 
and  cold,  yet  behind  it  is  an  agony 
of  memory,  the  memory  of  the  day 
when  he  discovered  that  Varre  Le- 
page was  married  to  Rose  Varcoe, 
and  that  the  trusted  friend  had 
grown  famous  and  well-to-do  on  the 
offspring  of  /its  brain.  His  first 
thought  had  been  one  of  fierce  anger 
and  determination  to  expose  this 
man  who  had  falsified  all  trust.  But 
55 


Vbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TUBbfte  9uatb 


then  came  the  thought  of  the  girl, 
and,  most  of  all  there  came  t'le 
words  of  his  dying  mother,  "Be 
good,  my  boy,  and  God  will  make 
you  great,"  and  for  his  mother's  sake 
he  had  compassion  on  the  girl,  and 
sought  no  revenge  upon  her  hus- 
band. Rare  type  of  man,  in  a  sor- 
did, unchivalric  world!  And  now, 
ten  years  later,  he  did  not  regret 
that  he  had  stayed  his  hand.  The 
world  had  ceased  to  call  Varre  Le- 
page a  genius.  He  had  not  fulfilled 
the  hope  that  was  held  of  him.  This 
Jaspar  Hume  knew  from  occasional 
references  in  scientific  journals. 

And  he  was  making  this  journey 

to  save,  if  he  could,  Varre  Lepage's 

life.      And     he     has     no     regret. 

Though  just  on  the  verge  of  a  new 

56 


Vbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  VBbtte  Ouatb 


era  in  his  career— to  give  to  the 
world  the  fruit  of  ten  years*  thought 
and  labor,  he  had  set  all  behind  him 
that  he  might  be  true  to  the  friend- 
ship of  his  youth,  that  he  might  be 
loyal  to  his  manhood,  that  he  might 
be  clear  of  the  strokes  of  conscience 
to  the  last  hour  of  his  life. 

Looking  round  him  now,  the  de- 
bating look  comes  again  into  his 
eyes.  He  places  his  hand  in  his 
breast,  and  lets  it  rest  there  for  a 
moment.  The  look  becomes  certain 
and  steady,  the  hand  is  drawn  out, 
and  in  it  is  a  Book  of  Common 
Prayer.  Upon  the  fly-leaf  is  writ- 
ten, "Jane  Hume,  to  her  dear  son 
Jaspar,  on  his  twelfth  birthday." 

These  men  of  the  White  Guard 
are  not  used  to  religious  practices, 
57 


XLbe  Aatcb  ot  tbe  TObite  ©uiitb 

whatever  their  past  has  been  in  that 
regard,  and  at  any  other  time  they 
might  have  been  surprised  at  this 
action  of  Jaspar  ^xume.  Under 
some  circumstances  it  might  have 
lessened  their  opinion  of  him,  but 
his  influence  over  them  now  was 
complete.  They  knew  they  were 
getting  nearer  to  him  than  they  had 
ever  done;  even  Cloud-in-the-Sky 
appreciated  that.  He  spoke  no 
word  to  them,  but  looked  at  them 
and  stood  up.  They  all  did  the 
same,  Jeff  Hyde  leaning  on  the 
shoulders  of  Gasp6  Tou jours.  He 
read  first,  four  verses  of  the  Thirty- 
first  Psalm,  then  followed  the  prayer 
of  St.  Chrysostom,  and  the  beautiful 
collect  which  appeals  to  the  Almighty 
to  mercifully  look  upon  the  infirmi- 
S8 


ttbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TSBblte  OuarO 


ties  of  men,  and  to  stretch  forth  His 
hand  to  keep  and  defend  them  in  all 
dangers  and  necessities.  Late  Car- 
scallen,  after  a  long  pause,  said 
"Amen,"  and  Jeff  Hyde  said  in  a 
whisper  to  Gaspe  Toujours,  "That's 
to  the  point.  Infirmities  and  dangers 
and  necessities  is  what  troubles  us." 
Immediately  after,  at  a  sign  from 
the  Sub-factor,  Cloud-in-the-Sky  be- 
gan to  transfer  the  burning  wood 
from  one  fire  to  the  other  until  only 
hot  ashes  were  left  where  a  great 
blaze  had  been.  Over  these  ashes 
pine  twigs  and  branches  were  spread, 
and  over  them  again  blankets.  The 
word  was  then  given  to  turn  in,  and 
Jeff  Hyde,  Gasp€  Toujours,  and  Late 
Carscallen  lay  down  in  this  comfort- 
able bed.  Each  wished  to  give  way 
59 


Vbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  White  OuarO 

to  their  captain,  out  he  would  not 
consent,  and  he  and  Cloud-in-the- 
Sky  wrapped  themselves  in  their 
blankets  like  mummies,  covering 
their  heads  completely,  and  under  the 
arctic  sky  they  slept  alone  in  an 
austere  and  tenantless  world.  They 
never  know  how  loftily  sardonic  Na- 
ture can  be  who  have  not  seen  that 
land  where  the  mercury  freezes  in 
the  tubes,  and  there  is  light  but  no 
warmth  in  the  smile  of  the  sun. 
Not  Sturt  in  the  heart  of  Australia 
with  the  mercury  bursting  the  fever- 
ed tubes,  with  the  finger-nails  break- 
ing like  brittle  glass,  with  the  ink 
drying  instantly  on  the  pen,  with 
the  hair  falling  off  and  fading, 
would,  if  he  could,  have  exchanged 

his  lot  for  that  of  the  White  Guard. 
60 


11 


Cbe  iftarcb  ot  tb<  TTOblte  guard 

They  are  in  a  frozen  endlessness 
that  stretches  away  to  a  world  where 
never  voice  of  man  or  clip  of  wing 
or  tread  of  animal  is  heard.  It  is 
the  threshold  to  the  undiscovered 
country,  to  that  untouched  north 
whose  fields  of  white  are  only  fur- 
rowed by  the  giant  forces  of  the  ele- 
ments; on  whose  frigid  hearthstone 
no  fire  is  ever  lit :  a  place  where  the 
electric  phantoms  of  a  nightless  land 
pass  and  repass,  and  are  never  still ; 
where  the  magic  needle  points  not 
toward  the  north  but  darkly  down- 
ward, downward! — where  the  sun 
never  stretches  warm  hands  to  him 
who  dares  confront  the  terrors  of 
eternal  snow. 
The  White  Guard  sleeps! 


61 


IV 


"  No,  C*ptain ;  leave  me  here  and 
pttsii  on  to  the  Mauitou  Mounts  n. 
You  ought  to  make  it  m  two  days. 

I'm  lust  is  sai.^  aere  as  oa  tbe  sleds 


1  maf '  s  no 
re*^      vhile 
m 
y  fooi 


and  less  trouble    a  b* 
good      I'l    have  a  g» 
you're  go^t,  and  thei 
eyes    viil  Ci*me  rig 

is  ^matiy  weM  no^. 

f^,  j«B    H 
This,   the  giai  ; 
suffered  most 

Bi     Jaspi'-       ime  said,  "I  won't 

leave  you  ioac,  my   nan.     The  dogs 

can  carry         ,  as  i  ley've  done  for 

the   ast  teu  <iays." 
63 


was  snow-blind, 
i   the  party,  had 


I 


gbe  Aarcb  or  tbe  Wbite  6uard 


But  Jeff  replied,  "  I'm  as  safe  here 
as  marching,  and  safer.  When  the 
dogs  are  not  carrying  me,  nor  any 
one  leading  me,  you  can  get  on 
faster;  and  that  means  everything 
to  us;  now  don't  it?" 

Jaspar  Hume  met  the  eyes  of 
Gasp6  Toujours.  He  read  them. 
Then  he  said  to  Jeff  Hyde,  "It  shall 
be  as  you  wish.  Late  Carscallen, 
Cloud-in-the-Sky,  and  myself  will 
push  on  to  Manitou  Mountain.  You 
and  Gasp^  Toujours  will  remain 
here." 

Jeff  Hyde's  blind  eyes  turned  to- 
ward Gasp^  Toujours,  and  Gasp€ 
Toujours  said,  "Yes.  We  have 
plenty  of  tabac." 

A  tent  was  set  up,  provisions  were 
put  in  it,  a  spirit-lamp  and  matches 
64 


trbe  Aarcb  ot  tbe  TOblte  Cttar^ 

were  added,  and  the  simple  minage 
was  complete.  Not  quite.  Jaspar 
Hume  looked  round.  There  was 
not  a  tree  in  sight.  He  stooped  and 
cut  away  a  pole  *hat  was  used  for 
strengfthening  the  runners  of  the 
sleds;  fastened  it  firmly  in  the 
ground,  and  tied  to  it  a  red  woollen 
scarf,  which  he  had  used  for  tight- 
ening his  white  blankets  round  him. 
Then  he  said:  "Be  sure  and  keep 
that  flying,  men." 

Jeff  Hyde's  face  was  turned  to- 
ward the  north.  The  blind  man's 
instinct  was  coming  to  him.  Far 
off  white  eddying  drifts  were  rising 
over  long  hillocks  of  snow.  When 
Jeff  turned  round  again  his  face  was 
slightly  troubled.  It  grew  more 
troubled,  then  it  brightened  up 
5  •S 


gbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  Wbltc  6narO 


again,  and  he  said  to  Jaspar  Htime, 
"Captain,  would  you  leave  that  book 
with  me  till  you  come  back— that 
about  infirmities,  dangers,  and  neces- 
sities ?    I  knew  a  river-boss  who  used 
to  carry  an  old  spelling-book  round 
with  him  for  luck.     It  had  belonged 
to  a  schoolmaster,  who  took  him  in 
and  did  for  him  when  his  father  and 
mother  went  into  Kingdom  Come. 
It  seems  to  me  as  if  that  book  of 
yours.  Captain,  would  bring  luck  to 
this  part  of  the  White  Guard,  that 
bein'  ou:  .it  the  heels  like  has  to  stay 
behind." 

Jaspar  Hume  had  borne  the  suffer- 
ings of  his  life  with  courage;  he 
had  led  this  terrible  tramp  with  no 
tremor  at  his  heart  for  himself;  he 
was  seeking  to  perform  a  perilous 
66 


tn>e  Aatcb  of  tbe  TRDbtte  enatb 


act  without  any  inward  shrinking; 
but  Jeff's  request  was  the  greatest 
trial  of  this  momentous  period  in 
his  life.  This  book  had  not  left 
his  breast,  save  when  he  slept,  for 
twenty  years.  To  give  it  up  was 
like  throwing  open  the  doors  of  his 
nature  to  such  weaknesses  that  assail 
and  conquer  most  men  at  some  time 
or  other  in  their  lives. 

Jeff  Hyde  felt,  if  he  could  not  see, 
the  hesitation  of  his  chief.  His 
rough  but  kind  instincts  told  him 
something  was  wrong  in  his  request, 
and  lie  hastened  to  add,  "  Beg  your 
pardon,  sir,  it  ain't  no  matter;  I 
oughtn't  to  have  asked  you  for  it. 
But  it's  just  like  me;  I've  been  a 
chain  on  the  leg  of  the  White  Guard 
this  whole  tramp." 
67 


^  ^ 


gbc  iftarcb  of  tbe  mbite  euard 


< 


The  moment  of  hesitation  had 
parsed  before  ]eS  Hyde  had  said 
half-a-dozen  words,  and  Jaspar 
Hume  put  the  book  in  his  hands 
with  the  words,  "No,  Jeff  Hyde, 
take  it.  It  tvt//  bring  luck  to  the 
White  Guard.  Put  it  where  I  have 
carried  it,  and  keep  it  safe  until  I 
come  back." 

Jeff  Hyde  placed  the  book  in  his 
bosom,  but  hearing  a  guttural "  Ugh  " 
behind  him  he  turned  round  de- 
fiantly. The  Indian  touched  his 
arm  and  said,  "Good!  Strong-back 
book-good !  "    Jeff  was  satisfied. 

At  this  point  they  parted,  Jeff 
Hyde  and  Gaspe  Toujours  remain- 
ing, and  Jaspar  Hume  and  his  two 
followers  going  on  toward  Mani- 
tou  Mountain.  There  seemed  little 
68 


ii 


XSbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TSSlbtte  OuatD 

probability  that  Varre  Lepage  would 
be  found.  In  their  progress  east- 
ward and  northward  they  had  cov- 
ered wide  areas  of  country,  dividing 
and  meeting  again  after  stated  hours 
of  travel,  but  not  a  sign  had  been 
seen ;  neither  cairn  nor  staff  nor  any 
mark  of  human  presence. 

Jaspar  Hume  had  noticed  Jeflf 
Hyde's  face  when  it  was  turned  to 
the  eddying  drifts  of  the  north,  and 
he  understood  what  was  in  the  ex- 
perienced huntsman's  mind.  He 
knew  that  severe  weather  was  before 
them,  and  that  the  greatest  difficulty 
of  the  journey  was  to  be  encountered. 
Yet,  somehow,  the  fear  that  possessed 
him  when  the  book  was  taken  from 
his    breast  had    left    him,   and   he 

reaped  in  his  act  of  self-sacrifice  a 
69 


(Tbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  tmbfte  Ouarb 


t 


larger  courage    and  rarer  strength 
than    that    which    had    heretofore 
stayed  him  on  this  cheerless  journey. 
That    night    they    saw    Manitou 
Mountain,    cold,    colossal,    harshly 
calm;    and  jointly  with   that  sight 
there  arose  a  shrieking,  biting,  fear- 
ful north  wind.     It  blew  upon  them 
in    cruel    menace    of   conquest,    in 
piercing   inclemency.      It  struck  a 
freezing  terror  to  their  hearts,  and 
grew  in  violent  attack  until,  as  if  re- 
penting   that    it    had    foregone    its 
power  to    save,   the    sun   suddenly 
grew  red  and  angry  and  spread  out 
a  shield  of  blood  along  the  bastions 
of  the  west.     The  wind  shrunk  back 
and  grew  less  murderous,  and  ere 
the  last  red  arrows  shot  up  behind 
the  lonely  western  wall  of  white,  the 
70 


XLbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  VBbfte  Ouatd 


three  knew  that  the  worst  of  the 
storm  had  passed  and  that  death  had 
drawn  back  for  a  time.  What  Jas- 
par  Hume  thought  we  shall  gather 
from  his  diary;  for  ere  he  crawled 
in  among  the  dogs  and  stretched 
himself  out  beside  Jacques,  he  wrote 
these  words  with  aching  fingers: — 

"January  loth:  Camp  39. — A  bit- 
ter day.  We  are  facing  three  fears 
now:  the  fate  of  those  we  left  be- 
hind ;  his  fate ;  and  the  going  back. 
We  are  thirty  miles  from  Manitou 
Mountain.  If  he  is  found,  I  should 
not  fear  at  all  the  return  journey; 
success  gives  hope.  We  trust  in 
God." 

Another  day  passes  and  at  night, 
after  a  hard  march,  they  camp  five 
miles  from  Manitou  Mountain.     And 
7» 


Zbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TSlblte  (Buarb 

not  a  sign !  But  Jaspar  Hume  knows 
that  there  is  a  faint  chance  of  Varre 
Lepage  being  found  at  this  moun- 
tain. His  iron  frame  has  borne  the 
hardships  of  this  journey  well;  his 
valiant  heart  better.  But  this  night 
an  unaccountable  weakness  possesses 
him.  Mind  and  body  are  on  the 
verge  of  helplessness  and  faintness. 
Jacques  seems  to  understand  that, 
and  when  he  is  unhitched  from  the 
team  of  dogs,  now  dwindled  to 
seven,  he  goes  to  his  master  and 
leaps  upon  his  breast.  It  was  as  if 
some  instinct  of  sympathy,  of  presci- 
ence, was  passing  between  the  man 
and  the  dog.  Jaspar  Hume  bent 
his  head  down  to  Jacques  for  an 
instant  and  rubbed  his  side  kind- 
ly; then  he  said,  with  a  tired  ac- 
7-2 


Sbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TBUbite  Onatd 


cent,   "It's  all  right,  dog;    it's  all 
right!" 

Jaspar  Hume  did  not  sleep  well  at 
first  that  night,  but  at  length  obliv. 
ion  came.  He  waked  to  feel  Jacques 
tugging  at  his  blankets.  It  was 
noon.  Late  Carscallen  and  Cloud- 
in-the-Sky  were  still  sleeping — inani- 
mate bundles  among  the  dogs.  In 
an  hour  they  were  on  their  way 
again,  and  toward  sunset  they  had 
reached  the  foot  of  Manitou  Moun- 
tain. Abruptly  from  the  plain  rose 
this  mighty  mound,  blue  and  white 
upon  a  black  base.  A  few  straggling 
pines  grew  near  its  foot,  defying  lat- 
itude, as  the  mountain  itself  defied 
the  calculations  of  geographers  and 
geologists.  A  halt  was  called. 
Late  Carscallen  and  Cloud-in-the-Sky 
73 


!  ?i 


(Tbe  Aarcb  ot  tbe  mbite  9mtb 

looked  at  the  chief.  His  eyes  were 
scanning  the  mountain  closely.  Sud- 
denly he  paused.  Five  hundred  feet 
up  there  is  a  great  round  hole  in  the 
solid  rock,  and  from  this  hole  there 
comes  a  feeble  cloud  of  smoke !  Jas- 
par  Hume's  hand  points  where  his 
eyes  are  fixed.  The  other  two  see. 
Cloud-in-the-Sky  gives  a  wild  whoop, 
such  a  whoop  as  only  an  Indian  can 
give,  and  from  the  mountain  there 
comes,  a  moment  after,  a  faint  re- 
plica of  the  sound.  It  is  not  an 
echo,  for  there  appears  at  the  mouth 
of  the  cave  an  Indian,  who  sees  them 
and  makes  feeble  signs  for  them  to 
come.  In  a  few  moments  they  are 
at  the  cave.  As  Jaspar  Hume  en- 
ters, Cloud-in-the-Sky  and  the  stal- 
wart but  emaciated  Indian  who  had 
74 


9be  Aarcb  of  tbe  wmte  Ouard 


beckoned  to  them  speak  to  each 
other  in  the  Chinook  language,  the 
jargon  common  to  all  Indians  of  the 
West. 

Jaspar  Hume  saw  a  form  reclining 
on  a  great  bundle  of  pine  branches, 
and  he  knew  what  Rose  Lepage  had 
prayed  for  had  come  to  pass.  By 
the  flickering  light  of  a  handful  of 
fire  he  saw  Varre  Lepage — rather 
what  was  left  of  him — a  shadow  of 
energy,  a  heap  of  nerveless  bones. 
His  eyes  were  shut,  but  as  Jaspar 
Hume,  with  a  quiver  of  memory  and 
sympathy  at  his  heart,  stood  for  an 
instant  and  looked  at  the  man  whom 
he  had  cherished  as  a  friend  and 
found  an  enemy,  the  pale  lips  of 
Varre  Lepage  moved  and  a  weak 
voice  said,  "  Who — is  there?  " 
75 


CDc  iftarcb  of  tbe  ITOMtc  gmtP 

"A  friend. '• 

"A  friend!  Come — near — me, — 
friend!" 

Jaspar  Hume  made  a  motion  to 
Late  Carscallen,  who  was  heating 
some  liquor  at  the  fire,  and  he  came 
near  and  stooped  and  lifted  up  the 
sick  man's  head,  and  took  his  hand. 

"  You  have  come — to  save  me — to 
save  me !  "  said  the  weak  voice  again. 

"Yes;  I  have  come  to  save  you." 
This  voice  was  strong  and  clear  and 
true. 

"  I   seem — to    have — heard — your 

voice  before — somewhere  before 

I  seem  to — have "     But  he  had 

fainted. 

Jaspar  Hume  poured  a  little  liquor 

down    the    sick  man's  throat,   and 

Late  Carscallen  chafed  the  delicate 
76 


Sbc  Aarcb  or  tbe  Tnbttc  OuarD 


hand— delicate  in  health,  it  was  like 
that  of  a  little  child  now.  When 
breath  came  again  Jaspar  Hume 
whispered  to  his  helper,  "Take 
Cloud-in-the-Sky  and  get  wood; 
bring  fresh  branches;  clear  one  of 
the  sleds,  and  we  will  start  back 
with  him  in  the  early  morning." 

Late  Carscallen,  looking  at  the 
skeleton-like  figure,  said,  "He  will 
never  gt   there." 

"Yes,"  said  Jaspar  Hume;  "he 
will  get  there." 

"But  he  is  dying." 

"  He  goes  with  me  to  Fort  Provi- 
denct  " 

"Ay,  to  Providence  hi  ^  o>e;%,  >  at 
not  with  you,"  said  Late  Ca-«;r.'tr8n, 
sadly  but  doggedly. 

Anger  flashed  in  Jaspar  Hume's 
77 


(Tbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  mbite  Ouard 


1    I; 


eye,  but  he  said  quietly,  "I  shall 
take  him  to  his  wife;  get  the  wood, 
Carscallen." 

And  Jaspar  Hume  was  left  alone 
with  the  starving  Indian,  who  sat 
beside  the  fire  eating  voraciously, 
and  the  sufferer,  who  now  mechani- 
cally was  taking  a  little  biscuit  sopped 
in   brandy.      For    a    few   moments 
ihi:r>,  and  his  sr^iken  eyes  opened 
and  he  looked  dazedly  at  the  man 
bending  above  him .     Suddenly  there 
came   into  them   a   look   of   terror. 
"  You— you— arc  Jaspar  Hume,"  the 
voice  said  in  an  c»w  ;d  whisper. 

"  Yes  " ;  and  the  hands  of  the  Sub- 
factor  chafed  those  of  the  other. 

"  But  you  i     i  you  were  a— friend, 
and  come  to  save  me. " 
"  I  am  come  to  save  you." 


Obe  Aarcb  of  tbe  Mbfte  (3u«rb 


There  was  a  shiver  of  the  suffer- 
er's body.  This  discovery  would 
either  make  him  stronger  or  kill 
him  altogether.  Jaspar  Hume  knew 
this,  and  said:  "Varre  Lepage,  the 
past  is  past  and  dead  to  me;  let  it 
be  so  to  you." 

There  was  a  pause. 

"  How — did  you  know — about  me  ?  " 

"  I  was  at  Fort  Providence ;  there 
came  letters  from  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company,  and  from  your  wife,  saying 
that  you  were  making  this  journey, 
and  were  six  months  behind " 

"  My  wife,  my  wife !     Rose !  " 

"  Yes,  I  have  a  letter  for  you  from 
her.  She  is  on  her  way  to  Canada. 
We  are  to  take  you  to  her." 

"To  take  me— to  her!"  He 
shook  his  head  sadly,  but  he  pressed 
79 


Sbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  mute  Guard 


.  I         :} 


J 


the  letter  that  Jaspar  Hume  had  just 
given  him  to  his  lips. 

"To  take  you  to  her,  Varre  Le- 
page." 

"No,  I  shall  never — see  her — 
again." 

"I  tell  you,  you  shall.  You  can 
live  if  you  will.  You  owe  that  to 
her — to  me—  to  God !  " 

"  To  her— to  you— to  God.  But  I 
have  been  true— to  none.  To  win 
her  I  wronged  you  doubly  — and 
wronged  her  too;  and  wronging— 
both  of  you,  I  wronged  That  Other 
One.  I  have  been  punished.  I 
shall  die  here." 

"  You  shall  go  to  Fort  Providence. 
Do  that  in  payment  of  your  debt  to 
me.  Varre  Lepage.     I  demand  that." 

In  this  sinning  man  there  was  a. 
80 


Vbe  ItKcb  of  tbe  Tnbtte  0tttr^ 


latent  spark  of  honor,  a  sense  of  jus- 
tice that  might  have  been  developed 
to  great  causes,  to  noble  ends,  if 
some  strong  nature,  seeing  his  weak- 
nesses, had  not  condoned  them,  but 
had  appealed  to  the  natural  chivalry 
of  an  impressionable,  vain,  and  weak 
character.  He  struggled  to  meet 
the  eyes  of  Jaspar  Hume,  and  doing 
so  he  gained  confidence  and  said,  "  I 
wi//  try  to  live.  I  will  do  you  justice 
— yet.     But,  oh,  my  wife !  " 

"Your  first  duty  is  to  eat  and 
drink.  We  start  for  Fort  Provi- 
dence to-morrow  morning. " 

The  sick  man  stretched  out  his 
hand:  "Food!     Food!"  he  said. 

In  .-ttle  bits  food  and  drink  were 
given  to  him,  and  his  strength  sen- 
sibly increased.  The  cave  was  soon 
6  8i 


Cbe  fl^accb  ot  tbc  TOblte  Ouarb 


aglow  with  the  fire  that  was  kindled 
by  Late  Carscallen  and  Cloud-in-the- 
Sky.     There  was  little  speaking,  for 
the  sick  man  soon  fell  asleep.     Varre 
Lepage's   Indian   told  Cloud-in-the- 
Sky  the  tale  of  their  march— how 
the  other  Indian  and  the  dogs  died; 
how  his  master  became  ill  as  they 
were    starting    toward    Fort   Provi- 
dence  from    Manitou    Mountain   in 
the  summer  weather;  how  they  turn- 
ed back  and  took  refuge  in  this  cave; 
how  month  by  month  they  had  lived 
on  what  would  hardly  keep  a  rabbit 
alive;   and  how  at  last  his  master 
urged    him   to    press    on   with    his 
papers;  but  he  would  not,  and  stayed 
until  this  day,  when  the  last  bit  of 
food  had  been  eaten,  and  they  were 
found ! 

83 


V. 

The  next  morning  Varre  Lepage 
was  placed  upon  a  sled  and  they 
started  back,  Jacques  barking  joy- 
fully as  he  led  off,  with  Cloud-in- 
the-Sky  beside  him.  There  was 
light  in  the  faces  of  all,  though  the 
light  could  not  be  seen  by  reason  of 
their  being  muffled  so.  All  day  they 
travelled,  scarcely  halting,  Varre  Le- 
page's Indian  being  strong  again  and 
marching  well.  Often  the  corpse- 
like bundle  on  the  sled  was  disturbed 
and  biscuits  wet  in  brandy  and  bits 
of  preserved  venison  were  given. 

That  night  Jaspar  Hume  said  to 
Late  Carscallen :  "  I  am  going  to  start 
«3 


_Cbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TBObtte  Oiuird 


at  the  first  light  of  the  morning  to 
get  to  Gasp^  Toujours  and  Jeff  Hyde 
as  soon  as  possible.  Follow  as  fast 
as  you  can.  He  will  be  safe  if  you 
give  him  food  and  drink  often.  I 
shall  get  to  the  place  where  we  left 
them  about  noon ;  you  should  reach 
there  at  night  or  early  the  next 
morning." 

"Hadn't  you  better  take  Jacques 
with  you?  ••  said  Late  Carscallen. 

The  Sub-factor  thought  a  moment, 
and  then  said,  "No,  he  is  needed 
most  where  he  is. " 

At  noon  the  next  day  Jaspar 
Hume  looks  round  upon  a  billowy 
plain  of  sun  and  ice,  but  he  sees  no 
staflF,  no  signal,  no  tent,  no  sign  of 
human  life:  of  Gasp€  Toujours  or  of 
JefiF  Hyde.  His  strong  heart  quails. 
84 


Sbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  Wbitc  Oniird 


Has  he  lost  his  way?  He  looks  at 
the  sun.  He  is  not  sure.  He  con- 
sults his  compass,  but  it  quivers 
hesitatingly,  and  then  points  down- 
ward !  For  a  while  wild  bewilder- 
ment which  seizes  upon  the  minds 
of  the  strongest,  when  lost,  masters 
him,  in  spite  of  his  struggles  agfainst 
it.  He  moves  in  a  maze  of  half- 
blindness,  half -delirium.  He  is  lost 
in  it,  is  swayed  by  it.  He  begins  tc 
wander  about ;  and  there  grow  upon 
his  senses  strange  delights  and  reel- 
ing agonies.  He  hears  church  bells, 
he  catches  at  butterflies,  he  tumbles 
in  new-mown  hay,  he  wanders  in  a 
tropic  garden.  But  in  the  hay  a 
wasp  stings  him,  and  the  butterfly 
changes  to  a  curling  black  snake  that 
strikes  at  him  and  glides  to  a  dark- 
H 


ii 


i:  •    i 

U    i 

K.         J 

r  ■ 


Cbe  flSarcb  of  tbe  TBlbltc  gwitd 

flowing  river  full  of  floating  ice,  and 

up  from  the  river  a  white  hand  is 

thrust,  and  it  beckons  him — beckons 

him !     He  shuts  his  eyes  and  moves 

toward  it,  but  a  voice  stops  him,  and 

it  says,    "  Come  away !  come  away !  " 

and  two  arms  fold  him  round,  and 

as  he  ^oes  back  from  the  shore  he 

stumbles  and  falls,  and  ....  What 

is  this  ?     A  yielding  mass  at  his  feet ! 

A  mass  that  stirs!     He  clutches  at 

it,  he  tears  away  the  snow,  he  calls 

aloud — and  his  voice  has  a  far-away 

unnatural  sound — "Gasp€  Toujours! 

Gaspe  Toujours !  "     Yes,  it  is  Gasp6 

Toujours!     And  beside  him  lies  Jeff 

Hyde,  and  alive!  ay,  alive!    Thank 

God! 

Jaspar  Hume's  mind  is  itself  again. 

It  had   but  suffered  for  a  moment 
86 


.     i 


*'U  VOTZi  XH  A  HUM  OX  KA£r*BU2{81liai,  MSOS' 


Sbc  Aarcd  of  tbc  WMtt  •sard 


what  comes  to  most  men  when  they 
recognize  first  that  they  are  being 
shadowed  by  the  awful  ban  of  "  Lost. " 

Gasp^  Toujours  and  Jeff  Hyde 
had  lain  down  in  the  tent  the  night 
of  the  great  wind  and  had  gone  to 
sleep  at  once.  The  staff  had  been 
blown  down,  the  tent  had  fallen  over 
them,  the  drift  had  covered  them, 
and  for  three  days  they  had  slept 
beneath  the  snow ;  never  waking. 

Jeff  Hyde's  sight  was  come  again 
to  him.  "  You've  come  back  for  the 
book,"  he  said ;  "  you  couldn't  go  on 
without  it.  You  ought  to  have  taken 
it  yesterday  " ;  and  he  drew  it  from 
his  bosom. 

"  No,  Jeff,  I've  not  come  back  for 
that :  and  I  did  not  leave  you  yester- 
day :  it  is  three  days  and  more  since 
89 


MICROCOPY   RESOLUTION   TEST  CHART 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


A     APPLIED  IIVMGE     Inc 


1653   East   Main   Street 
Rochester,   Ne*  York         14609 
(716)   482  -  0300  -  Phone 
(716)   288  -  5989  -  Fax 


USA 


I 


Zbc  Aaccb  of  tbe  mbite  Ouard 


we  parted.  The  book  Aas  brought 
us  luck,  and  the  best!  We  have 
found  Aim;  and  they'll  be  hereto- 
night  with  him.  I  came  on  ahead 
to  see  how  you  fared." 

In    that    frost-bitten    world    Jeff 
Hyde  uncovered  his  head  for  a  mo- 
ment.     "Gaspe   Toujours  is  a  Pa- 
pist, "  he  said ;  "  but  he  read  me  some 
of  that  book  the  day  you  left,  and 
one  thing  we  went  to  sleep  on:   it 
was  that  about  'Lightenin'  the  dark- 
ness, and  defendin'  us  from  all  the 
perils  and  dangers  of  this  night. '  " 
Here  Gasp^  Toujours  made  the  sign 
of  the  cross.     Jeff  Hyde  continued 
half  apologetically  for  his  comrade, 
"  It  comes  natural  to  Gasp6  Toujours 
—I  guess  it  always  does  to  Papists. 
But  I  never  had  any  trainin'  that 
90 


JLbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TnUbfte  Guard 


ht 

0- 

id 
ff 

3- 
l- 

le 
d 
it 


way,  and  I  had  to  turn  the  thing 
over  and  over,  and  I  fell  asleep  on 
it.  And  when  I  wake  up  three  days 
after,  here's  my  eyes  as  fresh  as 
daisies,  and  you  back,  Captain,  and 
the  thing  done  that  we  come  to  do !  " 

He  put  the  book  into  the  hands  of 
Jaspar  Hume,  and  Gasp^  Toujours 
at  that  moment  said,  "  See !  "  And 
far  off,  against  the  eastern  horizon, 
appeared  a  group  of  moving  figures! 

That  night  the  broken  segments 
of  the  White  Guard  were  reunited, 
and  Varre  Lepage  slept  by  the  side 
of  Jaspar  Hume. 


9t 


I 


VI. 

To  conquer  is  to  gain  courage  and 
unusual  powers  of  endurance.  Na- 
poleon might  have  marched  back 
from  Moscow  with  undecimated  le- 
gions safely  enough,  if  the  heart  of 
those  legions  had  not  been  crushed. 
The  White  Guard,  with  their  faces 
turned  homeward  and  the  man  they 
had  sought  for  in  their  care,  seemed 
to  have  acquired  new  strength. 
Through  days  of  dreadful  cold, 
through  nights  of  appalling  fierce- 
ness, through  storm  upon  the  plains 
that  made  for  them  paralyzing  cover- 
lets, they  marched.  And  if  Varre 
Lepage  did  not  grow  stronger,  life  at 
93 


gbe  Itntch  of  tbe  TBUbfte  Oiuird 


'2 

11 


ilf 


•r    ! 


!     5 


!   II 


least  was  kept  in  him,  and  he  had 
once  more  the  desire  to  live. 

There   was    I  nle  speech    among 
them,   but  once  in  a  while  Gasp€ 
Toujours  sang  snatches  of  the  songs 
of  the  voyagers  of  the  great  rivers; 
and  the  hcirts  of  all  were  strong. 
Between    Jacques    and    his    master 
there  was  occasional  demonstration. 
Jacques  seemed  to  know  that  a  load 
was  beii:g  lifted  from  the  heart  of 
Jaspar  Hume,  and  Jaspar  Hume,  on 
the  twentieth  day  homeward,  said 
with   his  hand  on  the  dog's  head, 
"  It  had  to  be  done,  Jacques;  even  a 
dog  could  see  that !  " 

And  so  it  was  "all  right"  for  the 

White  Guard.     One  day  when  the 

sun  was  warmer  than  usual  over  Fort 

Providence,  and  just  sixty-five  days 

94 


TTbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TDSlbfte  OuarO 


since  that  cheer  had  gone  up  from 
apprehensive  hearts  for  brave  men 
going  out  into  the  Barren  Grounds, 
Sergeant  Gosse,  who  every  day  and 
of  late  many  times  a  day,  had  swept 
the  northeast  with  a  field-glass, 
rushed  into  the  Chief  Factor's  office, 
and  with  a  broken  voice  cried,  "  The 
White  Guard !  The  White  Guard ! " 
and  pointed  toward  the  northeast. 
And  then  he  leaned  his  arm  and 
head  against  the  wall  and  sobbed. 
And  the  old  Factor  rose  from  his 
chair  tremblingly,  and  said  "  Thank 
God,"  and  went  hurriedly  into  the 
square.  But  he  did  not  go  steadily 
— the  joyous  news  had  shaken  him, 
sturdy  old  pioneer  as  he  was.  As 
he  passes  out  one  can  see  that  a 
fringe  of  white  has  grown  about  his 
95 


trbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  mbite  OtuirD 


?r 


temples  in  the  last  two  months. 
The  people  of  the  Fort  had  said, 
they  had  never  seen  him  so  irascible, 
yet  so  gentle ;  so  uneasy,  yet  so  re- 
served;  so  stern  r  ^vLt  the  mouth, 
yet  so  kind  about  .  eyes  as  he  had 
been  since  Jaspar  Hume  had  gone 
with  his  brave  companions  on  this 
desperate  errand. 

Already  the  handful  of  people  at 
the  Fort  had  gathered.     Indians  left 
the  store  and  joined  the  rest;  the 
Factor  and  Sergeant  Gosse  set  out  to 
meet  the  little  army  of  relief.     God 
knows  what  was  in  the  hearts  of  the 
Chief  Factor  and  Jaspar  Hume  when 
they  shook  hands.     To  the  Factor's 
"In  the  name  of  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company,   Mr.   Hume,"  there  came 
"By  the  help  of  God,  sir,"  and  he 


i 


Zbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  Tnbtte  0uatd 


pointed  to  the  sled  whereon  Varre 
Lepage  lay.  A  feeble  hand  was 
clasped  in  the  burly  hand  of  the 
Factor,  and  then  they  fell  into  line 
again,  Cloud  -  in  -  the  -  Sky  running 
ahead  of  the  dogs.  Snow  had  fallen 
on  them,  and  as  they  entered  the 
stockade,  men  and  dogs  were  white 
from  head  to  foot. 

The  White  Guard  had  come  back ! 

They  were  met  with  cries  of  praise, 

broken    by    an    occasional   choking 

sound     from    men    like    Sergeant 

Gosse.     Jaspar  Hume  as  simply  ac- 

t.    ^ledged  his  welcome  as  he  had 

I'  uQ  the  Godspeed  two  months  and 

more  ago.     He  with  the  Factor  bore 

the  sick  man  in,  and  laid  him  on  his 

own  bed.      Then  he  came  outside, 

and  when  they  cheered  him  again, 

7  97 


gbc  ABarcb  of  tbe  xabite  Ouard 


='* 


f! 


he  said,  "We  have  come  safely 
through  and  I  am  thankful.  But 
remember  that  my  comrades  in  this 
march  deserve  your  cheers  in  this  as 
much  as  I.  Without  them  I  could 
have  done  nothing  in  the  perils  that 
lay  between  here  and  the  Barren 
Grounds." 

"  In  our  infirmities  and  in  all  our 
dangers  and  necessities,"  added  Jeff 
Hyde,  "the  luck  of  the  world  was 
in  the  book ! " 

In  another  half-hour  the  White 
Guard  was  at  ease,  and  four  of  them 
were  gathered  about  the  great  stove 
in  the  store,  Cloud-in-the-Sky  smok- 
ing  placidly,  and  full  of  guttural 
emphasis;  Late  Carscallen  moving 
his  animal-like  jaws  with  a  sense  of 
satisfaction;  Gasp6  Toujours  talking 
98 


in  Chinook  to  the  Indians,  in  patois 
to  the  French  clerk:  and  in  broken 
English  to  them  all ;  and  Jeff  Hyde 
exclaiming  on  the  wonders  of  the 
march,  the  finding  of  Varre  Lepage 
at  Manitou  Mountain,  and  of  himself 
and  Gasp€  Toujours  buried  in  the 
snow. 


99 


i  i 


VII. 

In  Jaspa  Hume's  house  at  mid- 
night Varre  Lepage  lay  asleep  with 
his  wife's  letters — received  through 
the  Factor — clasped  to  his  breast. 
The  firelight  played  upon  a  face 
prematurely  old — a  dark  disappoint- 
ed face — a  doon:4ed  face,  as  it  seemed 
to  the  Factor. 

"You  knew  him,  then,"  the  Far- 
tor  said,  after  a  long  silence. 

"Yes;  I  knew  him  well,  years 
ago,"  replied  Jaspar  Hume. 

Just  then  the  sick  mar  stirret'  In 
bis  sleep,  and  said  disjoimi  dly,  "  1 11 
make  it  all  right  to  you,  Jaspar." 
Then  came  a  pause  and  a  quicker 

lOI 


•■I  — 


Zbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TOOlbite  (Buarb 

utterance,  "Rose  —  I  —  love  you  — 
Forgive — forgive !  " 

The  Factor  rose  and  turned  to  go, 
and  Jaspar  Hume,  with  a  despairing, 
sorrowful  gesture,  went  over  to  the 
bed. 

Again  the  voice  said,  "  Ten  years 
—  I  have  repented  ten  years  —  My 
wife  —  Don't,  don't!  —  I  dare  not 
speak  —  Jaspar  forgives  me,  oh. 
Rose ! " 

The  Factor  touched  Jaspar  Hume's 
arm.  "This  is  delirium,"  he  said 
"  He  has  fever.  You  and  I  must 
nurse  him,  Hume.  You  can  trust 
me — you  understand." 

"Yes,  I  can  trust  you,"  was  the 
reply.     "  But  I  can  tell  you  nothing." 

"  I  do  not  want  to  know  an3rthing. 
If  you  can  watch  till  two  o'clock  I 

I02 


JSbc  Aarcb  of  tbe  'Ullbtte  Ouacb 


will  relieve  you.  I'll  send  the  medi- 
cine chest  over.  You  know  hov/  to 
treat  him." 

The  Factor  passed  out  and  the 
other  was  left  alone  with  the  man 
who  had  wronged  him.  The  feeling 
most  active  in  his  mind  was  pity, 
and  as  he  prepared  a  draught  from 
his  own  stock  of  medicines,  he 
thought  the  past  and  the  present  all 
over.  He  knew  that  however  much 
he  had  suffered,  this  man  had  suf- 
fered more.  And  in  this  silent 
night  there  was  broken  down  any 
slight  barrier  that  may  have  stood 
between  Varre  Lepage  and  his  com- 
plete compassion.  Having  effaced 
himself  from  the  calculation,  justice 
became  forgiveness. 

He  moistened  the  sick  man's  lips 
103 


(Tbe  Aaccb  of  tbe  HQlbite  Ouarb 

and  bathed  his  forehead,  and  roused 
him  once  to  take  a  quieting  powder. 
Then  he  sat  down  and  wrote  to  Rose 
Lepage.  But  he  tore  the  letter  up 
again  and  said  to  the  dog:  "No, 
Jacques,  I  cannot;  the  Factor  must 
do  it.  She  needn't  know  yet  that  it 
was  I  with  the  White  Guard  who 
saved  him.  It  doesn't  make  any 
burden  of  gratitude  for  her,  if  my 
name  is  kept  out  of  it.  And  the 
Factor  mustn't  mention  me,  Jacques 
— not  yet.  And  when  he  is  well  we 
will  go  to  London  with  It,  Jacques, 
and  we  needn't  meet  her;  and  it 
will  be  all  right,  Jacques :  all  right !  " 
And  the  dog  seemed  to  under- 
stand ;  for  he  went  over  to  the  box 
that    held    It;    and    looked    at    his 

master.      And    Jaspar    Hume    rose 
104 


tlbe  Aarcb  of  tbc  XQlbtte  Ouarb 

and  broke  the  seal  and  unlocked  the 
box  and  opened  it ;  but  he  heard  the 
sick  man  moan  and  he  closed  it  again 
and  went  over  to  the  bed.  The 
feeble  voice  said,  "  I  must  speak — I 
cannot  die  so — not  so — Jaspar." 

And  Jaspar  Hume  murmured, 
"God  help  him."  And  he  moist- 
ened the  lips  once  again,  and  put  a 
cold  cloth  on  the  fevered  head,  and 
then  sat  down  by  the  fire  again. 
And  Varre  Lepage  slept.  As  if 
some  charm  had  been  in  that  "  God 
help  him,"  the  restless  hands  grew 
quiet,  the  breath  became  more  regu- 
lar, and  the  tortured  mind  found  a 
short  peace.  With  the  old  debating 
look  in  his  eyes,  Jaspar  Hume  sat 
until  the  Factor  relieved  him. 


105 


I 


II 


ii 

I 

I 


1 1 


VIII. 

Februarv  and  March  and  April 
were  past  and  May  was  come.  Varre 
Lepage  had  had  a  hard  struggle  for 
life,  but  he  had  survived.  For 
weeks  everj'  night  there  was  a  repe- 
tition of  that  first  night  after  the  re- 
turn :  delirious  self-condemnation, 
entreaty,  and  love  of  his  wite,  and 
Jaspar  Hume's  name  mentioned  now 
and  again  in  shuddering  remorse. 
With  the  help  of  the  Indian  who  had 
shared  the  sick  man's  sufferings  in 
the  Barren  Grounds,  the  Factor  and 
Jaspar  Hume  nursed  him  back  to 
life.     Between  the  two  watchers,  no 

word  had  passed  after  the  fiist  night 
107 


tn>e  Aarcb  of  tbe  WLbitc  Ouar^ 


regarding  the  substance  of  Varre 
Lepage's  delirium.  But  one  even- 
ing  the  Factor  was  -vatching  alone, 
and  the  repentant  man  from  his 
feverish  sleep  cried  out,  "Hush, 
hush;  don't  let  them  know — I  stole 
them  both  from  him — and  the  baby 
died  because  of  that ;  God  took  it — 
and  Rose  did  not  know!  She  did 
not  know ! " 

The  Factor  rose  and  walked  away. 
The  dog  was  watching  him.  He 
said  to  Jacques :  "  You  have  a  good 
master,  Jacques — too  good  and  great 
for  the  H.  B.  C." 


loS 


IX. 

It  is  the    loth  of  May.     In  an 
annchair  made  of  hickory  and  birch- 
bark  by  Cloud-in-the-Sky,  sits  Varre 
Lepage  reading    a  letter  from  his 
wife.     She  is  at  Winnipeg,  and  is 
coming  west  as  far   as   Regina  to 
meet  him  on  his  way  down.      He 
looks    a    wreck;     but    a    handsome 
wreck!     His    refined    features,    his 
soft  black  beard  and  blue  eyes,  nis 
graceful  hand  and  gentle  manners, 
one  would  scarcely  think  belonged 
to  an  evil-hearted  man.     He  sits  in 
the  sunlight  at   the  door,  wrapped 
about  in  moose  and  beaver  skins. 
This  world   of  plain   and  wood    is 
109 


III 
1 1 


VbemAtcb  of  tbe  TiDlblte  euard 


;    . 


*    ■ 

11:' 


glad.     Not  so  Varre   Lepage.     He 

sat  and  thought  of  what  was  to  come. 

He  had  hoped  at  times  that  he  would 

die,  but  twice  Jaspar  Hume  had  said, 

"  I  demand  your  life :  you  owe  it  to 

your  wife— to  me—to  God!"    And 

he  had  pulled  his  heart  up  to  this 

demand  and  had  lived.     But  what 

lay  before  him?      He  saw  a  stony 

track,  and  he  shuddered.     The  Bar 

of  Justice  and  Restitution  raised  its 

cold   barriers   before  him;    and   he 

was  not  strong ! 

As  he  sat  there  facing  his  future 
Jaspar  Hume  came  to  him  and  said, 
"If  vou  feel  up  to  it,  Lepage,  we 
will  start  for  Edmonton  and  Sho- 
vanne  on  Monday.  I  think  it  will 
be  quite  safe,  and  your  wife  is  anx- 
lous.  I  shall  accompany  you  as  far 
no 


TTbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  'QSlbtte  Otuitb 

as  Edmonton ;  you  can  then  proceed 
to  Shovanne  by  easy  stages,  and  so 
on    east    in  the    pleasant  weather. 
Are  you  ready  to  go?  " 
"VesI  I  am  ready." 


XII 


!■     ! 


X. 

On  a  beautiful  May  evening  Varre 
Lepage,  Jaspar  Hume,  and  the  White 
Guard  are  welcomed  at  Fort  Edmon- 
ton by  the  officer  in  command  df  the 
Mounted  Police.     They  are  to  enjoy 
the  hospitality  of  the  Fort    for    a 
couple  of  days,  before  they  pass  on. 
Jaspar  Hume    is  to  go  back  with 
Cloud-in-the-Sky  and  Late  Carscal- 
len,  and  a  number  of  Indian  carriers, 
for  this  is  a  journey  of  business  too. 
Gasp6  Toujours  and  Jeff  Hyde  are 
to  press  on  with  Varre  Lepage,  who 
is  now  much  stronger  and  better. 
One  day  passes,  and  on  the  follow- 
ing mortiing  Jaspar  Hume  gives  in- 
8  Hi 


Obe  iAarcb  of  tbc  Vllbtte  euarb 


) 


ill 


structions  to  Gasp^  Toujours  and  Jeff 
Hyde,  and  makes  preparations  for 
his  going  back.  He  is  standing  in 
the  Barracks  Square,  when  a  horse> 
man  rides  in  and  inquires  of  a  ser- 
geant standing  near,  if  Varre  Lepage 
has  arrived  at  the  Fort.  A  few 
words  bring  out  the  fact  that  Rose 
Lepage  is  nearing  the  Fort  from  the 
south,  being  determined  to  come  on 
from  Shovanne  to  meet  her  husband. 
The  trooper  thinks  she  is  now  about 
eight  or  ten  miles  awiy ;  but  is  not 
sure.  He  had  been  sent  on  ahead 
the  day  before,  but  his  horse  having 
met  with  a  slight  accident,  he  had 
been  delayed.  He  had  seen  the 
party,  however,  a  long  distance  back 
in    the    early    morning.     He    must 

now  ride  away  and  meet  Mrs.   Le- 
114 


Sbc  iftarcb  of  tbc  Vlbttc  Ouitb 


page,  he  said.  He  was  furnished 
with  a  fresh  horse  and  he  left,  bear- 
ing a  message  to  the  loyal  wife  from 
Varre  Lepage. 

Jaspar  Hume  decided  to  leave 
Fort  Edmonton  at  once,  and  to  take 
all  the  White  Guard  back  with  him ; 
and  gave  orders  to  that  effect.  He 
entered  the  room  where  Varre  Le- 
page sat  alone,  and  said :  "  Varre  Le- 
page, the  time  has  come  for  us  to 
say  good-by.  I  am  starting  at  once 
for  Fort  Providence." 

But  the  other  replied :  "  You  will 
wait  until  my  wife  comes.  You 
must,"     There  was  pain  in  his  voice. 

"I  must  not." 

Varre  Lepage  braced  himself  for 
a    heavy    task    and    said:    "Jaspar 
Hume,  if  the  time  has  come  to  say 
"5 


:  'fi 


tTbe  ASarcb  of  tbe  Wbite  (3uard 

good-by,    it    has    also   come    when 
we  should  speak  together   for  once 
openly :  to  settle,  in  so  far  as  can  be 
done,    a   long   account.      You   have 
not  let  my  wife  know  who  saved  me. 
That  appears  from  her  letters.     She 
asks  the  name  of  my  rescuer.    I  have 
not  yet  told  her.    But  she  will  know 
that  to-day,  when  I  tell  her  all." 
"  When  you  tell  her  all?  " 
"When  I  tell  her  all." 
*'  But  you  shall  not  do  that." 
"  I  will.     It  will  be  the  beginning 
of  the  confession  which  I  shall  after- 
ward make  to  the  world." 

"  By  Heaven  you  shall  not  do  It. 
Coward!  Would  you  wreck  her 
life?"  Jaspar  Hume's  face  was 
wrathful,   and  remained  so  till  the 

other  sank  back  in  the  chair  with  his 
ii6 


■  f 


^1 


Zbe  Aarcb  of  tbc  TRUbite  (9uar& 


forehead  in  his  hands:  but  it  soft- 
ened  as  he   saw  this   remorse  and 
shame.     He  began  to  see  that  Varre 
Lepage  had  not  clearly  grasped  the 
whole  situation.     He  said  in  quieter, 
but  still  firm  tones:    "No,   Lepage, 
that  matter  is  between  us  two,  and 
us  alone.     She  must  never  know — 
the     world     therefore    must    never 
know.     You  did  an  unmanly  thing : 
you  are  suffering  a  manly  remorse. 
Now  let  it  end  here— but  I  swear  it 
shall,"  he  said  in  fierce  tones  as  the 
other  shook  his  head  negatively ;  "  I 
would  have  let  you  die  at  Manitou 
Mountain,    if    I    had    thought    you 
would  dare  to  take  away  your  wife's 
peace — your  children's  respect." 
"  I   have   no   children ;    our  baby 

died." 

117 


s 


Sbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  Mbtte  Guard 


'III 


Jaspar  Hume  again  softened; 
"Can  you  not  see,  Lepage?  The 
thing  cannot  be  mended."  Just 
the2  his  hand  touched  the  book  that 
he  still  carried  in  his  bosom,  and  as 
if  his  mother  had  whispered  to  him, 
he  continued :  "  I  bury  it  all,  and  so 
must  you.  You  will  begin  the  world 
again — old  friend — and  so  shall  I. 
Keep  your  wife's  love  and  respect. 
Henceforth  you  will  deserve  it." 

Varre  Lepage  raised  moist  eyes  to 
the  other  and  said :  "  But  you  will 
take  back  the  money  I  got  for 
that !  " 

There  was  a  pause,   then  Jaspar 

Hume    replied:    "Yes,    upon    such 

terms,   times,   and   conditions  as   I 

shall  hereafter  fix.     And  you  have 

no  child,  Lepage?  "  he  gently  added. 
ii8 


Cbc  ittarcb  ct  tbe  TObtte  guarP 

"  We  have  no  child ;  it  died  with 

my  fame." 

Jaspar  Hume  looked  steadily  into 
the  eyes  of  the  man  who  had  wronged 
him :  "  Remember,  Varre,  you  begin 
the  world  again.  I  am  going  now. 
By  the  memory  of  old  days,  good- 
by";  and  he  held  out  his  hand. 
Varre  Lepage  took  it  and  rose  trem- 
blingly to  his  feet,  and  said,  "  You 
are  a  good  man,  Jaspar  Hume. 
Good-by!" 

The  Sub-factor  turned  at  the  door. 
"  If  it  will  please  you,  tell  your  wife 
that  I  saved  you.  Some  one  will 
tell  her;  perhaps  I  would  rather— at 
least  it  would  be  more  natural,  if 
you  did  it."  He  passed  out  into  the 
heat  of  sunshine  that  streamed  into 
the  room  and  fell  across  the  figure 
119 


(Tbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TTObtce  Ouarb 


I  M 


of  Varre  Lepage,  who  sat  and  said 
dreamily,  "And  begin  the  world 
again." 

Before  Jaspar  Hume  mounted,  al- 
most immediately  after,  to  join  the 
White  Guard  now  ready  for  the 
journey  back,  Jacques  sprang  upon 
him  and  pushed  his  nose  against  his 
master's  heart.  And  once  again, 
and  for  the  last  time  that  we  shall 
hear  it,  Jaspar  Hume  said,  "  It's  all 
right,  Jacques." 

And  then  they  started  for  the 
north  again.  As  they  were  doing 
so,  a  shadow  fell  across  the  sunlight 
that  streamed  upon  Varre  Lepage. 
He  looked  up.  There  was  a  startled 
cry  of  joy,  an  answering  exclamation 
of  love,  and  Rose  Lepage  was  locked 
in  her  husband's  arms. 


I20 


trbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  tKnbite  0navb 


A  few  moments  after  and  the 
sweet-faced  woman  said :  "  Who  was 
that  man  who  rode  away  to  the 
north  as  I  came  up,  Varre?  He  re- 
minded me  of  some  one,  but  I  can't 
think  who  it  is." 

"  That  was  the  leader  of  the  White 
Guard,  the  man  who  saved  me,  my 
wife."  He  paused  a  moment  and 
then  solemnly  said,  "  That  man  was 
Jaspar  Hume ! " 

The  wife  rose  to  her  feet  with  a 
spring.  "  He  saved  you!  He  saved 
you !  Jaspar  Hume ! — oh,  Varre !  " 
"  He  saved  me,  Rose ! " 
Her  eyes  were  wet:  "And  he 
would  not  stay  and  let  me  thank 
him!  Poor  fellow:  poor  Jaspar — 
Hume !  Has  he  then  been  up  here 
these  ten  years?  " 


121 


Vb€  Aarcb  of  tbe  Mbite  Ouarb 


Her  face  was  flushed,  and  pain 
was  struggling  with  the  joy  she  felt 
in  seeing  her  husband  again. 

"Yes,  he  has  been  up  here  all 
that  time." 

"He  has  not  succeeded  in  life, 
Varre !  "  and  her  thoughts  went  back 
to  the  days  when,  blind  and  ill, 
Jaspar  Hume  went  away  for  health's 
sake,  and  she  remembered  how  sorry 
then  she  felt  for  him,  and  how 
grieved  she  was  that  when  he  came 
back  strong  and  well,  he  did  not 
come  near  her  or  her  husband,  and 
offered  no  congratulations.  She  had 
not  deliberately  wronged  him.  She 
did  not  know  he  wished  her  to  be 
his  wife.  She  knew  he  cared  for 
her;  but  so  did  Varre  Lepage.  A 
promise  had  been  given  to  neither 


133 


«be  Aatcb  ot  tbe  TObite  Ouat& 

when  Jaspar  Hume  went  away;  and 
after  that  she  grew  to  love  the  suc- 
cessful, kind-mannered  genius  who 
became  her  husband.  Even  in  this 
happiness  of  hers,  sitting  once  again 
at  her  husband's  feet,  she  thought 
with  a  tender  and  glowing  kindness 
of  the  man  who  had  cared  for  her 
eleven  years  ago;  and  who  had  but 

now  saved  her  husband. 

"He  has  not  succeeded  in  life," 

she  repeated  softly. 

Looking  down  at  her,  his  brow 

burning  with  a  white  heat,  Varre 

Lepage  said,   "He  is  a  great  man, 

my  wife." 

"I  am  sure  he  is  a  good  man," 

she  added. 

Perhaps  Varre   Lepage  had  bor- 
rowed   some  strength   from   Jaspar 
123 


■'  I 


TCbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  Mblte  Oiurd 


fi 


Hume,  for  he  said  almost  sternly, 
"  He  is  a ^reat  man." 

His  wife  looked  up  half-startled  at 
the  tone  and  said,  "Yes,  dear;  he  is 
a  good  man — and  a  great  man. " 

The  sunlight  still  came  in  through 
the  open  door.  The  Saskatchewan 
flowed  swiftly  between  its  verdant 
banks,  an  eagle  went  floating  away 
to  the  west,  robins  made  vocal  a 
solitary  tree  a  few  yards  away,  troop- 
ers moved  back  and  forward  across 
the  square,  and  a  hen  and  her  chick- 
ens came  fluttering  to  the  threshold. 
The  wife  looked  at  the  yellow  brood 
drawing  close  to  their  mother,  and 
her  eyes  grew  wistful.  She  thought 
of  their  one  baby  asleep  in  an  Eng- 
lish  grave.      But    thinking  of    the 

words  of  the  captain  of  the  White 
124 


«be  Aaccb  of  tbc  TObite  guatP 


Guard,  Varre  Lepage  said,  "  We  will 
begin  the  world  again,  my  wife." 

She  smiled,  and  rose  to  kiss  his 
forehead  as  the  hen  and  chickens 
hastened  away  from  the  door,  and 
a  clear  bugle  call  sounded  in  the 

square. 

"Yes,  dear,"  she  said,   "we  will 

begin  the  world  again." 


"S 


■■■I 


XL 

Eleven  years  have  gone  since 
that  s-^ene  was  enacted  at  Edmonton, 
and  the  curtain  rises  for  the  last  act 
of  that  drama  of  life  which  is  con- 
nected with  the  brief  history  of  the 
White  Guard. 

A  great  gathering  is  dispersing 

from  a  hall  in  Piccadilly.      It  has 

been  drawn  together  to  do  honor  to 

a  man  who  has  achieved  a  triumph 

in  engineering  science.     As  he  steps 

from  the  platform  to  go  he  is  greeted 

by  a  fusilade  of  cheers.      He  bows 

calmly  and  kindly.     He  is  a  man  of 

vigorous  yet  reserved  aspect ;  he  has 

a  rare  individuality.      He  receives 
127 


\i 


gbc  iftarcb  of  tbc  VBbite  Otuirb 


with  a  quiet  cordiality  the  personal 
congratulations  of  his  friends.     He 
remains  for  some  time  in  conversa- 
tion  with  a  royal  Duke,  who  takes 
his  arm  and  with  him  passes  into  the 
street.     The  Duke  is  a  member  of 
this  great  man's  club,  and  offers  him 
a  seat  in  his  brougham.     Amid  the 
cheers  of  the  people  they  drive  away 
together.     Inside  the  club  there  are 
fresh  congratulations,  and  it  is  pro- 
posed to  arrange  an  impromptu  din- 
ner, at  which  the  Duke  will  preside. 
But  with  modesty  and  honest  thanks 
the  great  man  declines.     He  pleads 
an   engagement.      He   had  pleaded 
this  engagement  the  day  before  to  a 
well-known  society.    After  his  health 
is  proposed  he  makes  his  adieus,  and 
leaving  the  club,  walks  away  toward 
128 


m 

YWW' 


Vbe  Aarcb  of  tbc  VBbftc  Ouatd 


a  West-end  square.  In  one  of  its 
streets  he  pauses  and  enters  a  build- 
ing called  "Providence  Chambers." 
His  servant  hands  him  a  cablegram. 
He  passes  to  his  library,  and  stand- 
ing before  the  fire,  opens  it.  It 
reads:  "My  wife  and  I  send  con- 
gratulations to  the  great  man." 

Jaspar  Hume  stands  for  a  moment 
looking  at  the  fire,  and  then  says 
simply,  "  I  wish  my  poor  old  Jacques 
were  here."  He  then  sits  down  and 
writes  this  letter : — 

"Mv  DEAR  Friends: — Your  cable- 
gram has  made  me  glad.  The  day 
is  over.  My  last  idea  was  more  suc- 
cessful than  I  even  dared  to  hope; 
and  the  world  has  been  kind.  I 
went  down  to  see  your  boy,  Jaspar, 
at  Clifton  last  week.  It  was  the 
9  "9 


gbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  TBUblte  Ouart 


S.t.! 


13th,   his   birthday,  you  know,  ten 
years  old,  and  a  clever,  strong-mind- 
ed  little  fellow.     He  is  quite  con- 
tented.    As  he  is   my  god-child   I 
again  claimed  the  right  of  putting 
a  thousand  dollars  to  his  credit  in 
the  bank-I  have  to  speak  of  dollars 
to   you   people    living  in   Canada— 
which   I   have    done  on    his  every 
birthday.      When  he  is  twenty-one 
he   will   have   twenty-one   thousand 
dollars— quite  enough  for  a  start  in 
life.     We  get  along  well  together, 
and  I  think  he  will  develop  a  fine 
faculty  for  science.     In  the  summer, 
as  I  said,  I  will  bring  him  over  to 
you.     There  is  nothing  more  to  say 
to-night  except  that  I  am  as  always, 
"Your  faithful  friend, 

"Jaspar  Hume." 


130 


tTbe  Aarcb  of  tbe  IQlbite  (Suatb 


A  moment  aftc  tbc  ittter  was 
finished  the  servmt  entered  and 
announced  "Mr.  itt  Carscallen." 
With  a  smile  and  hearty  greeting 
the  great  man  and  this  member 
of  the  White  Guard  meet.  It  was 
to  entertain  his  old  Arctic  com- 
rade that  Jaspar  Hume  had  declined 
to  be  entertained  by  society  or 
club.  A  little  while  after,  seated  at 
the  table,  the  ex-Sub-factor  said, 
"  You  found  your  brother  well,  Cars- 
callen?" 

The  jaws  moved  slowly  as  of  old. 
"Ay,  that,  and  a  grand  minister, 
Captain." 

"  He  wanted  you  to  stay  in  Scot- 
land, I  suppose." 

"  Ay,  that,  but  there's  no  place  for 

me  like  Fort  Providence." 
131 


^beAatcb  of  tbe  mbite  9Mtb 


"  Try  this  pheasant.  And  you  are 
Sub-factor  now,  Carscallen !  " 

"There's  two  of  us  Sub-factors— 
Jeff  Hyde  and  myself.  Mr.  Field  is 
old  and  can't  do  much  work,  and 
trade  is  heavy  now." 

"  Yes ;  I  hear  from  the  Factor  now 
and  then.     And  Gaspe  Toujours?  " 

"  He  went  away  three  years  ago, 
but  he  said  he'd  come  back.  He 
never  did  though.  Jeff  Hyde  be- 
lieves he  will.  He  says  to  me  a 
hundred  times:  'Carscallen,  he  made 
the  sign  of  the  cross  that  he'd  come 
back  from  Saint  Gabrielle ;  and  that's 
next  to  the  Book  with  a  Papist.  If 
he's  alive  he'll  come.'  " 

"Perhaps     he     will,     Carscallen. 
And  Cloud-in-the-Sky?" 
"He's  still  there,  and  comes  in 
13a 


XSbe  Aarcb  or  tbe  White  Ouarb 


and  smokes  with  Jeff  Hyde  and  me, 
as  he  used  to  do  with  you,  sir;  but 
he  doesn't  obey  our  orders  as  he  did 
those  of  the  Captain  of  the  White 
Guard.  He  said  to  me  when  I  left, 
'  You  see  Strong-back,  tell  him 
Cloud-in-the-Sky  good  Indian  —  he 
never  forget.     How ! '  " 

Jaspar  Hume  raised  his  glass  with 
smiling  and  thoughtful  eyes:  "To 
Cloud-in-the-Sky  and  all  who  never 
forget!"  he  said. 


I3J 


